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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-03-31 18:03 1 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon plans to transfer about a dozen inmates of the Guantanamo military prison to at least two countries... 2016-03-31 12:25 650Bytes (4.03/5) feeds.reuters.com 2 Kolkata flyover collapse: several people dead and many feared trapped

(4.01/5) Firefighters and residents try to rescue those trapped under wreckage of road that had been under construction in Indian city 2016-03-31 14:07 3KB www.theguardian.com 3 At least 14 killed as overpass collapses in India Rescuers in India are digging through large chunks of debris from an overpass that (4.01/5) collapsed while under construction, killing at least 14 people and injuring scores of others. 2016-03-31 12:46 2KB www.independent.ie 4 Serbia's Seselj says war crimes acquittal was only possible verdict

(3.01/5) BELGRADE, March 31 (Reuters) - Serbian firebrand politician Vojislav Seselj said his acquittal by a U. N. war crimes tribunal on Thursday was the only possibl... 2016-03-31 10:22 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 5 AP Top Entertainment News at 10:15 a.m. EDT Jeff Daniels turns up the volume of 'Blackbird' this time Murder-for-hire plot featured on 'Cops' headed to trial Hidden camera's hit-man video reads like reality TV, and was (2.01/5) Ronnie Corbett, half of comedy's 'Two Ronnies,' dies at 85 Egyptian author-journalist Ahmed Naji to... 2016-03-31 09:12 1KB abcnews.go.com 6 The Latest: Opposition says Syria airstrikes kill 10 The Latest on Syria’s conflict (all times local): 2016-03-31 15:35 2KB www.washingtontimes.com (2.00/5)

7 Police: Officer shot armed Georgia man outside home JACKSON, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police

(2.00/5) Department are investigating an incident in which authorities say a police off... 2016-03-31 13:01 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 8 7 hurt, damage reported after tornado touchdowns in Oklahoma

(2.00/5) At least seven people were injured and authorities were evaluating damage that included a destroyed home after severe storms spawned multiple tornado touchdowns in northeastern Oklahoma on Wednesday night, authorities said. 2016-03-31 12:50 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 9 Donald Trump says women should be punished for illegal abortion

(2.00/5) Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has kicked off a political storm with his latest controversial comment that women should be punished for illegal abortions, drawing flak from political opponents 2016-03-31 12:10 3KB www.mid-day.com 10 EgyptAir passenger Ben Innes gets his photo taken with hijacker – video

(2.00/5) Footage taken by passenger Huub Hulthuis shows the moment Briton Ben Innes gets his photo taken with EgyptAir plane hijacker Seif Eldin Mustafa on Tuesday 2016-03-31 11:36 1KB www.theguardian.com 11 Pedestrian dies after being hit by vehicle on upstate street Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred in a western New York city. 2016-03-31 16:41 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 12 Historic papers behind walls of Asheville home An Asheville man has spent the past month reviewing a cache of documents found hidden in a secret compartment next to the chimney of the landmark home he bought last fall. 2016-03-31 17:55 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 13 Correction: Uncollected Taxes story In a story on March 29 about legislation that would allow Illinois municipalities to share financial data with third-party vendors, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the National Conference of State Legislatures opposed the bill. NCSL spokesman Mick Bullock said the group has no official position on the legislation. 2016-03-31 17:54 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 14 Bill to have lawmakers fill US Senate vacancies fails A bill to have state lawmakers fill U. S. Senate vacancies has been defeated. 2016-03-31 17:54 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 15 Public can explore new 520 bridge before it opens to traffic Cyclists and pedestrians will have a chance to explore the new State Route 520 floating this weekend before the structure opens to vehicle traffic. 2016-03-31 17:52 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 16 Burglars get guns, ammunition from range in DeKalb County The burglars who stole guns and ammunition from a DeKalb County gun range this week seemed to know their way around the inside of the store. 2016-03-31 16:32 978Bytes www.ajc.com 17 Police say 2 macaws found shot, killed in Coral Gables Authorities are investigating after they say two macaws were found shot and killed in Coral Gables. 2016-03-31 17:23 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 18 Indictment: Tax preparer filed false returns for clients A suburban New York tax preparer is accused of filing false returns for his clients. 2016-03-31 17:14 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 19 Rockland County siblings split $1 million Powerball prize Five Rockland County siblings are splitting the winnings of a $1 million Powerball prize from a drawing earlier this year. 2016-03-31 17:14 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 20 Dan Gilbert says Detroit is home for more of his employees Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert says about 3,100 of his workers live in Detroit, up from just 77 when he moved the mortgage lender’s offices downtown in 2010. 2016-03-31 17:13 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 21 Hearing scheduled in slain Virginia teen case A prosecutor says a new preliminary hearing date has been set for two former Virginia Tech students charged in the slaying of a 13-year-old girl. 2016-03-31 17:06 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 22 Investigation of 1983 death given to prosecutors; 5 suspects Authorities say they have five suspects in the 1983 death of a teenager who may have been intentionally struck by a vehicle in southwestern Michigan. 2016-03-31 17:06 1KB www.washingtontimes.com

23 Harvard taking more steps to acknowledge its ties to slavery Harvard’s president says the Ivy league university will do more to acknowledge its ties to slavery. 2016-03-31 17:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 24 Small town trying to save community-owned grocery store The small northeastern South Dakota town of Frederick is trying to save its community- owned grocery store. 2016-03-31 17:01 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 25 Affordable Model 3 is Tesla’s biggest test yet Tesla Motors built its reputation making sporty, sexy and very expensive electric cars. 2016-03-31 16:45 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 26 Authorities: Man stabbed during argument at funeral home Authorities say a man is expected to recover after being stabbed during an argument at a funeral home in Bay City. 2016-03-31 16:45 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 27 Video: 2 Flight Attendants Injured in Turbulence on American Eagle Flight Two flight attendants were hospitalized with injuries when an American Eagle flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Memphis experienced turbulence. 2016-03-31 16:45 1KB abcnews.go.com 28 WT20 Humour: 7 secrets to Virat Kohli's success As India face West Indies in the second semi-final today, all eyes will be on India’s star batsman. We try to decipher the phenomenon named Virat Kohli, all in good humour! 2016-03-31 15:51 1KB www.mid-day.com 29 EXCHANGE: Students trying to put shoes on Ugandan children Second-grader Abby Press says it’s an easy step-by-step process. 2016-03-31 15:49 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 30 Judge rejects plea deal for suspect in triple-fatal crash A judge has refused to accept a plea agreement for a Tucson, Arizona, woman accused of causing a crash in the western North Dakota oil patch that killed three men. 2016-03-31 15:35 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 31 Judge schedules Rod Blagojevich’s resentencing for June 30 A federal judge says former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be resentenced for his corruption convictions on June 30. 2016-03-31 15:30 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 32 AP Exclusive: How a tainted Kenyan runner won small US races The runners came in all sizes, shapes and ages, from 5 to 99. Celebrating the Fourth of July, some raced in starry tops, shorts and headbands. For them, the 5K through the grounds of a Kentucky whiskey distillery, raising funds for that night’s Independence Day fireworks, was strictly fun. 2016-03-31 15:30 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 33 Person in custody after shots fired from interstate overpass Lexington County sheriff’s deputies say one person is in custody after shots were fired from an overpass at vehicles traveling east on Interstate 20. 2016-03-31 15:30 1KB www.washingtontimes.com

34 Inmates protest food quality at 2nd northern Michigan prison Inmates at a second prison in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have participated in a peaceful protest over the quality of food provided by a state contractor, an official said. 2016-03-31 15:29 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 35 VIDEO: Dept. of Transportation Incident Responders Follow Kathy Vatter and Brian Farrar as they cruise the freeways and keep the traffic flowing around the South Sound area. 2016-03-31 12:57 1KB www.thenewstribune.com 36 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times Yet, the paradox of rumor is that while it cannot be disproved easily, it also cannot be brushed away as falsehood; it... 2016-03-31 08:46 7KB atimes.com 37 P26-M gagastusin ng Comelec para sa uniporme ng mga BEI, empleyado Nagpa-bidding na rin ang ahensya sa mga gagamiting pang-gupit ng voters receipt. 2016-03-31 13:18 873Bytes news.abs-cbn.com 38 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years - CNN.com NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. 2016-03-31 08:16 5KB rss.cnn.com 39 Kangana Ranaut's lawyer: No police officer can summon my client In reaction to mid-day's story about Hrithik Roshan naming Kangana Ranaut in fake email ID case FIR, actress says she'll cooperate with police; reserves her right to file criminal complaint against Hrithik 2016-03-31 14:19 4KB www.mid-day.com 40 'Exciting' new genetic test for child cancer patients Scientists are beginning work to genetically test tumours from children with cancer, in the hope this will give younger patients access to newer medicines. 2016-03-31 11:37 4KB www.bbc.co.uk 41 Libya's unity government leaders in Tripoli power bid Leaders of Libya's new UN-backed unity government arrive in Tripoli by boat in a bid to take control - after their attempts by plane were blocked. 2016-03-31 12:36 5KB www.bbc.co.uk 42 Nobel literature laureate Imre Kertesz dies at 86 BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Imre Kertesz, the Hungarian writer who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature for a body of fiction largely drawn from his experien... 2016-03-31 13:50 7KB www.dailymail.co.uk 43 Quique Sanchez Flores committed to Watford amid Spain speculation Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is flattered to be linked with taking charge of the Spanish national team but insists his focus is squarely with the Hornets. 2016-03-31 13:06 3KB www.independent.ie 44 Current account deficit hits record high as GDP revised higher Deficit balloons to widest since 1948, raising fears for UK recovery and its future after possible Brexit 2016-03-31 13:00 6KB www.theguardian.com 45 Flames-Ducks Sum Calgary 0 3 0—3 Anaheim 3 4 1—8 First Period_1, Anaheim, Perry 32 (Getzlaf), :57. 2, Anaheim, Silfverberg 17 (Kesler, Cogliano), 4:00. 3, Anaheim, Pirri 14 (Horcoff, Fowler), 6:51. Second Period_4, Anaheim, McGinn 22 (Getzlaf,… 2016-03-31 12:56 1KB wtop.com

46 Tata steel crisis: David Cameron says 'no guarantee of success' - live updates Prime minister says nationalisation isn’t the answer, as Labour pushes a four-point plan to save tens of thousands of jobs 2016-03-31 12:56 1KB www.theguardian.com 47 Snapshot of Asian leaders attending nuclear summit in US WASHINGTON (AP) — A number of Asia-Pacific leaders are traveling to Washington for this week's nuclear security summit. They will be discussing how to stop t... 2016-03-31 12:54 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 48 Mumbai: Faulty earthing fries appliances; residents rue damage of Rs 1 cr Eighty residents of the eight-storey Laxmi Krupa Society building in Andheri East ran for their lives on Wednesday as their household appliances got fried one after another in an electrical short circuit 2016-03-31 12:46 3KB www.mid-day.com 49 Cousins, Kings Deal Wizards Costly Defeat, 120-111 DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four blocks, and the Sacramento Kings dealt a blow to the Washington Wizards' playoff hopes with a 120-111 victory on Wednesday night. The Wizards dropped their second straight and fourth in five games, falling 3 ½ games behind... 2016-03-31 12:45 3KB abcnews.go.com 50 Lion shot dead in Kenya after attacking man A lion was shot dead by park rangers in Kenya on Wednesday after it escaped from the Amboseli National park and injured a man 2016-03-31 12:40 1KB www.mid-day.com 51 McDonald's adding 1,500 outlets in China, S. Korea, Hong Kong BEIJING (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Thursday it plans to open 1,500 new restaurants in China, South Korea and Hong Kong as it looks to faster-growing market... 2016-03-31 12:35 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 52 Sarcastic clap earns Cousins 16th T, suspension DeMarcus Cousins picked up his 16th technical foul of the season, and an automatic suspension, after sarcastically clapping in the final seconds of the Kings' win over the Wizards. 2016-03-31 12:26 2KB espn.go.com 53 Commission: Will license Broner, he'll turn self in The DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission will license Adrien Broner for Friday's bout after receiving written assurances from his camp that Broner will turn himself in the days after the fight. 2016-03-31 12:25 4KB espn.go.com 54 Plan to kill journalist: Mumbai court acquits three The Mumbai Sessions court on Wednesday acquitted three accused who hatched a plan to kill a leading English daily’s journalist after he referred to the gangster as 'chindi chor' (small fry) in his news report 2016-03-31 12:19 2KB www.mid-day.com 55 Russian sappers arrive in Syria to clear mines in Palmyra MOSCOW (AP) — Russian combat engineers arrived Thursday in Syria on a mission to clear mines in the ancient town of Palmyra, the military said. The Defense M... 2016-03-31 12:12 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 56 Mumbai: Deonar's CCTV cam stolen amid high-security claims While there is speculation that someone might have deliberately caused the massive January Deonar fire, one of the 12 CCTV cameras installed at dump yard for security was stolen and nobody reported the matter to cops 2016-03-31 12:09 2KB www.mid-day.com

57 Oscar Pistorius to be sentenced for murder in June Former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius will face sentencing for murder in June. The 29- year-old faces a lengthy prison term after a South African appeals co... 2016-03-31 11:50 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 58 FBI arrests man for wanting to practice yoga, meditate on airplane A Japan-bound airplane returned to Hawaii because of a violent passenger who wanted to do yoga instead of sit in his seat, the FBI said 2016-03-31 11:48 3KB www.mid-day.com 59 Colombia ELN: Government and rebels to hold peace talks Colombian negotiators say they are entering into formal peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group. 2016-03-31 08:06 3KB www.bbc.co.uk 60 Central African Republic abuse: UN looks into 'bestiality' report An advocacy group says a senior commander in the Central African Republic forced girls to participate in bestiality, reports the UN says are "extremely troubling". 2016-03-31 08:06 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 61 Andrew Gale tips Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance for England Test recall Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale expects team-mate Gary Ballance to be recalled to the England Test team this summer. Ballance was dropped during last year's As... 2016-03-31 11:34 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 62 America’s next sexual frontier: The “nipplegasm” And men can have them too 2016-03-31 10:24 2KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 63 “World’s biggest bribe scandal”: Report on oil corruption exposes how corporations help destabilize Middle East Leaked docs show how the shadowy company Unaoil bribes Middle Eastern regimes for oil contracts for multinationals 2016-03-31 10:23 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 64 Shorten: Labor won't change discrimination laws to please gay marriage opponents Opposition leader tells Guardian Australia’s Why Knot event that the ALP would oppose any attempt to allow people who object to same-sex marriage to deny goods and services to gay couples 2016-03-31 11:29 4KB www.theguardian.com 65 Tool analyses messages and tells you how rude they are FoxType is a New York-based Gmail extension that aims to help you 'write in a more polite, friendly tone'. The software checks phrases for warning signs you are being rude. Donald Trump is shown. 2016-03-31 11:27 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 66 10 Things to Know for Today - 31 March 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHO'S UNDER FIRE ON ABORTION Donald Trump is fight... 2016-03-31 11:25 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 67 Ban on 'legal highs' delayed until at least May A blanket ban on "legal highs" has been delayed until May. The Psychoactive Substances Act was expected to come into force from next Wednesday. However, the... 2016-03-31 11:23 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

68 Leicester stars earn growing recognition during title charge MANCHESTER, England (AP) — There have been considerable knock-on effects for Leicester following the team's giddy rise to the top of the English Premier Leag... 2016-03-31 11:19 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 69 The Times & The Sunday Times News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times 2016-03-31 04:05 568Bytes www.thetimes.co.uk 70 ID network doing docu-series based on Ohio case NEW YORK (AP) — Conscious of the success of long-form crime mysteries like "Serial" on NPR and HBO's "The Jinx," the Investigation Discovery network says it... 2016-03-31 11:16 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 71 Madonsela the Biblical David that slayed the Nkandla giant Mogoeng Thuli Madonsela is the embodiment of a Biblical David who fought the most powerful, and very well resourced Goliath that impropriety and corruption by government officials are, Chief Justice Mogoeng has said. 2016-03-31 11:15 2KB www.news24.com 72 Dubai woman delivers baby in Israel, names him after IDF officer who helped her The woman was so thankful to the Israeli, a Druse officer who serves in the Israeli Civil Administration, that she named her baby after him – Hadi. 2016-03-31 11:10 1KB www.jpost.com 73 South Africa's top court rules against president in scandal JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Jacob Zuma "failed to uphold" the constitution when he didn't pay back some of the millions of dollars in state f... 2016-03-31 11:06 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 74 Flight attendant also posed for cheeky picture with 'suicide bomber' A second 'selfie' has been posted on Facebook of an air stewardess posing with the hijacker of an EgyptAir plane. In the... 2016-03-31 11:03 3KB telegraph.feedsportal.com 75 Mortified teen's priceless reaction as parents arrive at school dance Judd Bagley and wife Kristen surprised their daughter Beth, 14, at her high school dance in Utah. She screams and shouts in horror at the intrusion but is apparently just playing up for the camera. 2016-03-31 11:00 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 76 PRESS DIGEST- Canada- March 31 March 31 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their... 2016-03-31 10:59 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 77 PWDs to get additional benefits under new law Ikinatuwa ng mga persons with disability o PWD ang pagpirma ni Pangulong Aquino sa batas na nagbibigay sa kanilang ng VAT exemption. 2016-03-31 13:00 905Bytes news.abs- cbn.com 78 Rory McIlroy believes secret to Masters cheer is successfully handling pressure The first major championship of the year is never short of drama, but w ith more ingredients than usual in the pot, there is a palpable sense that the 80th M... 2016-03-31 10:49 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk

79 Melissa Joan Hart teases 'Clarissa' and 'Sabrina' reboots Melissa Joan Hart revealed she's in talks to reboot either "Clarissa Explains It All" or "Sabrina the Teenage Witch. " 2016-03-31 10:45 2KB www.upi.com 80 UK denied compensation to thousands of Holocaust victims, papers reveal Documents show that out of 4,206 applicants, less than a quarter (1,015) received benefits. 2016-03-31 10:39 2KB www.jpost.com 81 Obama meets with Asian leaders about North Korea nuke threat Meetings with China, Japan, and North Korea precede Nuclear Security Summit 2016-03-31 10:32 3KB rssfeeds.usatoday.com 82 EU referendum: O'Donnell warns over two-year exit feasibility Britain would be unable to negotiate its exit from the EU within the two years allowed by EU rules, former Cabinet Secretary Lord O'Donnell tells the BBC. 2016-03-31 08:10 4KB www.bbc.co.uk 83 Around the clock care for dying 'not good enough' A national review of end-of-life care finds many hospitals in England are failing to provide face-to-face palliative care specialists around the clock. 2016-03-31 08:10 5KB www.bbc.co.uk 84 Republicans lied in Wisconsin: Here’s how you know the state’s voter ID law is a complete sham Wisconsin GOPers insisted the law wasn't intended to suppress the vote. A new report suggests that wasn't true 2016-03-31 09:10 2KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 85 Preventing cankerworms: how to band a tree City of Rock Hill officials teach others how to band a tree. The banding of trees creates a barrier between the ground and tree leaves, preventing female cankerworms from laying eggs. This do-it-yourself video can help residents learn about tree banding. Professional services are... 2016-03-31 06:53 2KB www.heraldonline.com 86 Livonia - News Livonia - News 2016-03-31 05:23 2KB rssfeeds.hometownlife.com

87 Credit card fraud: Senior citizen from Mumbai duped of Rs 7 lakh 60-year-old businessman from Malabar Hill duped by cyber fraudster to the tune of Rs 7 lakh; most of the transactions done to buy something online and originated in New York City 2016-03-31 10:15 3KB www.mid-day.com 88 Airline employee troubles include accusations from pimping to cocaine: A recent spate of airline employee arrests can make travelers wonder about the screening process for those involved in safely moving them and their stuff. 2016-03-31 10:08 1KB edition.cnn.com 89 Bullet that proves Lawrence of Arabia’s tales of desert heroics A Bristol University team found a bullet at a battle site which they say proves that Lawrence's (pictured) Seven Pillars of Wisdom memoir is far more accurate than thought. 2016-03-31 10:05 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 90 Eurozone inflation rate remains below zero in March LONDON (AP) — In spite of a modest improvement in inflation that had its roots in the services sector, consumer prices across the 19-country eurozone fell in... 2016-03-31 10:03 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 91 Charlotte Crosby forgets her love woes with Gaz Beadle She said she cried for a whole day after it was claimed her love interest Gaz Beadle invited a beauty queen back to his hotel room. 2016-03-31 10:03 7KB www.dailymail.co.uk 92 Kremlin denies report of Russia-U. S. deal on Assad's future MOSCOW, March 31 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that a report by the al- Hayat newspaper on an agreement between Russia and the United States on the... 2016-03-31 10:02 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 93 Film director says he supports moves toward gender parity LOS ANGELES (AP) — The director of "Bridesmaids," ''Spy" and the upcoming "Ghostbusters" remake says he would add an equity clause to his future film contrac... 2016-03-31 10:02 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 94 Where's the lane? Self-driving cars confused by shabby U. S. roadways By Alexandria Sage LOS ANGELES, March 31 (Reuters) - Volvo's North American CEO, Lex Kerssemakers, lost his cool as the automaker's semi-autonomous prototype... 2016-03-31 10:01 6KB www.dailymail.co.uk 95 France will not strip terrorists of nationality This constitutional reform was proposed in the wake of recent Paris attacks 2016-03-31 09:59 2KB www.mid-day.com 96 JNU cites RTI clauses, refuses to make inquiry report public Jawaharlal Nehru University cited exemption clauses of the RTI Act, which deal with non- disclosure under certain circumstances 2016-03-31 09:58 1KB www.mid-day.com 97 Sale Sharks to sign MacGinty from Connacht as replacement for Cipriani AJ MacGinty will move to the Aviva Premiership from Guinness PRO12 title contenders Connacht and is expected to wear Danny Cipriani's No 10 shirt at new side Sale Sharks. 2016-03-31 09:52 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 98 Nuclear Summit Meeting to Begin in Washington With Terrorism Risks a Central Topic President Obama will host 50 heads of state in Washington beginning on Thursday to try to enhance worldwide security of nuclear materials, a meeting with new urgency given suspicions of terrorist groups’ interest in a nuclear plant in Belgium. 2016-03-31 09:50 2KB rss.nytimes.com 99 Mumbai tops in assaulting policemen on duty: CM Devendra Fadnavis A total of 62 cases had been filed in Mumbai till February against people for manhandling or assaulting policemen on duty - the highest for a city in Maharashtra, the Legislative Council was informed on Wednesday 2016-03-31 09:48 2KB www.mid-day.com 100 RBI, Passport are cleanest govt offices in Mumbai: Survey Reserve Bank Of India's office in Mumbai Central and Passport office in suburban Malad have been declared as the 2016-03-31 09:44 2KB www.mid-day.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-03-31 18:03

1 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner (4.03/5) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon plans to transfer about a dozen inmates of the Guantanamo military prison to at least two countries that have agreed to take them, a U. S. official said on Wednesday, the latest move in President Barack Obama's final push to close the facility.

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Reuters: World News - powered by FeedBurner feeds.reuters.com FOXNews.com - powered by FeedBurner feeds.foxnews.com 2016-03-31 12:25 feeds.reuters.com

2 Kolkata flyover collapse: several people dead and many feared trapped (4.01/5) At least 14 people have died and 100 are feared to be trapped after a flyover being built in Kolkata collapsed. Firefighters and residents were trying to rescue those trapped under the wreckage of the metal and cement structure, which came down in a busy commercial district of the Indian city. “Monumental tragedy. Rescue ops on. Many feared dead,” Derek O’Brien, spokesman for the left-wing party that governs the state of West Bengal of which Kolkata is the capital, said in a tweet. Television footage from the scene showed a bloodied hand reaching out from under what appeared to be a massive girder. People were trying to hand bottles of water to survivors pinned underneath. More than 70 injured were admitted to two hospitals in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, hospital officials said. “The condition is pathetic. At this moment no one has any clue how many people are trapped,” said Raichand Mohta, a police officer at the scene. The Indian home minister, Rajnath Singh, tweeted his concern and announced that rescue teams would be rushed to the scene. Yet there was little sign of a coordinated rescue operation, with access for heavy lifting equipment restricted by the buildings on either side of the flyover and heavy traffic in the area. A senior police officer on the scene said that 15 critically injured people had been rescued. “Most were bleeding profusely. The problem is that nobody is able to drive an ambulance to the spot,” said Akhilesh Chaturvedi. The 1.2 mile flyover has been under construction since 2009 and has missed several deadlines for completion. The contract for the overpass was signed in 2008 and it was expected to be completed in two years. Mamta Banerjee, the top elected leader in the state, accused the previous communist government in West Bengal of not adhering to building regulations. “The concrete had been laid last night at this part of the bridge,” resident Ramesh Kejriwal said. “I am lucky as I was planning to go downstairs to have juice. When I was thinking about it, I saw that the bridge had collapsed.” “Every night, hundreds of labourers would build the flyover and they would cook and sleep near the site by day,” said eyewitness Ravindra Kumar Gupta, who together with friends pulled out six bodies. The disaster could play a role in the West Bengal state election, one of five being held from next month that will give a verdict on Narendra Modi’s nearly two years as prime minister.

Kolkata flyover collapse: Dozens trapped and 14 dead telegraph.feedsportal.com India flyover collapse kills 14; scores feared trapped dailymail.co.uk

Over 100 feared trapped as India flyover collapse kills at least 14 independent.ie 2016-03-31 14:07 Reuters in www.theguardian.com

3 At least 14 killed as overpass collapses in India (4.01/5) Rescuers in India are digging through large chunks of debris from an overpass that collapsed while under construction, killing at least 14 people and injuring scores of others. A section of the overpass in the busy Bara Bazaar residential and shopping area in central Kolkata fell on vehicles and people moving underneath, trapping scores in their cars, trucks and motorised rickshaws. "We heard a loud rumble and then saw a lot of dust in the sky," a witness told the New Delhi Television news channel (NDTV). Army troops and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force joined efforts to extract people from vehicles that lay under massive concrete blocks and metal debris. Huge cranes and other rescue equipment reached the site and rescuers began clearing the rubble. Workers also used gas cutters to pry open the slabs. More than 70 injured were admitted to two hospitals in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, hospital officials said. At least 14 were dead, they added. "The area was very, very crowded. Motorised rickshaws, taxis... there was a lot of traffic," one witness told NDTV. Television images showed the bloody legs of some of the trapped people jutting out of the collapsed girders and concrete slabs. Mamta Banerjee, the top elected leader in the state, visited the collapse site and said a private builder had missed several deadlines for completing the overpass. The contract for the overpass was signed in 2008 and it was expected to be completed within two years. She accused the previous communist government in West Bengal of not adhering to building regulations. Building collapses are common in India, where builders use poor enforcement of regulations and use substandard materials. Press Association

India flyover collapse kills 14; scores feared trapped dailymail.co.uk Suicide bomber kills at least 9 in central Somalia dailymail.co.uk

Over 100 feared trapped as India flyover collapse kills at least 14 independent.ie

Raw: Camera captures overpass collapse in India rssfeeds.usatoday.com 2016-03-31 12:46 www.independent.ie

4 Serbia's Seselj says war crimes acquittal was only possible verdict (3.01/5) BELGRADE, March 31 (Reuters) - Serbian firebrand politician Vojislav Seselj said his acquittal by a U. N. war crimes tribunal on Thursday was the only possible verdict the court could have reached. "This time after so many trials of innocent Serbs, the judges... from the legal aspect returned the only possible verdict," the nationalist politician told a news conference in Belgrade soon after the decision. He said he had previously filed a 12 million euro ($13.6 million) compensation claim against the U. N. tribunal in The Hague and he might now ask for an extra two million euros for "all the suffering I have been through. " ($1 = 0.8799 euros) (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic and Ivana Sekularac; editing by Adrian Croft)

UN court acquits Serb ultranationalist Seselj of all counts heraldonline.com UN Court Acquits Serb Ultranationalist Seselj of All Counts abcnews.go.com 2016-03-31 10:22 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

5 AP Top Entertainment News at 10:15 a.m. EDT (2.01/5) Jeff Daniels turns up the volume of 'Blackbird' this time Murder-for-hire plot featured on 'Cops' headed to trial Hidden camera's hit-man video reads like reality TV, and was Ronnie Corbett, half of comedy's 'Two Ronnies,' dies at 85 Egyptian author-journalist Ahmed Naji to receive PEN award Open casting call for 'Hamilton' causes a little ruckus Nobel literature laureate Imre Kertesz dies at 86 ID network doing docu-series based on Ohio case Film director says he supports moves toward gender parity Sea lion exhibit set to make a splash in Atlanta this week Reuters: Top News - powered by FeedBurner feeds.reuters.com 2016-03-31 09:12 By abcnews.go.com

6 The Latest: Opposition says Syria airstrikes kill 10 (2.00/5) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - The Latest on Syria’s conflict (all times local): 2.15 p.m. Syrian opposition activists say Syrian army airstrikes that hit near a school and hospital east of Damascus have killed more than 10 people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the casualties were caused by a series of airstrikes that struck the rebel-held town of Deir al-Asafir Thursday. The Local Coordination Committees, another opposition activist group, put the death toll from the airstrikes at 17. The Britain-based Observatory says around 2,700 families live in Deir al-Asafir. Government troops have been trying to encircle the town for weeks. The government says al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, operates in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. The group is excluded from a cease-fire that has been in place in Syria for a month. The opposition says the government is targeting civilians. ___ 1.30 p.m. Syria’s prime minister says the country’s economy is being subjected to a “fierce war,” adding that his government is working to stop the fall of local currency. Wael al-Halqi’s comments on Thursday came as the Syrian pound crashed against foreign currencies, recently reaching its lowest level in five years at 530 pounds to the U. S. dollar. Al-Halqi, who spoke during a parliamentary session, did now say what the government will do. When Syria’s conflict began in March 2011, the exchange rate was 47 pounds to the dollar. On Tuesday, state media reported that several people were detained with large amounts of cash while dealing in the black market. The Syrian pound’s latest crash began when Russia announced the withdrawal of the bulk of its forces from Syria.

Syria's PM says Damascus subjected to economic war dailymail.co.uk 2016-03-31 15:35 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

7 Police: Officer shot armed Georgia man outside home (2.00/5) JACKSON, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department are investigating an incident in which authorities say a police officer shot an armed man who pointed a rifle at authorities. The GBI said in a statement that the shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon when officers responded to a domestic call at a Jackson home. Jackson police Chief James Morgan says officers encountered a man standing outside and shot him once after he refused to drop his rifle and pointed it at officers. The man was shot once and taken to a hospital. As of late Wednesday, police wouldn't say where the man was hit or what condition he is in. The incident comes amid increased scrutiny of police treatment of blacks after several high-profile deaths, but the GBI didn't release the names or races of the suspect or officer.

Police: Officer Shot Armed Georgia Man Outside Home abcnews.go.com 2016-03-31 13:01 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

8 7 hurt, damage reported after tornado touchdowns in Oklahoma (2.00/5) TULSA, Okla. (AP) - At least seven people were injured and authorities were evaluating damage that included a destroyed home after severe storms spawned multiple tornado touchdowns in northeastern Oklahoma on Wednesday night, authorities said. National Weather Service meteorologist Amy Jankowski said a tornado touched down and lifted up numerous times as it swept through the northern Tulsa and Owasso areas. About one square mile of a mostly residential area sustained “heavy damage,” Tulsa Fire Department spokesman Stan May said. One home was destroyed and other residences and businesses sustained roof and structural damage, he said. Police and fire officials were going door to door in the area to make sure everyone was accounted for. There were no immediate reports of anyone missing, May said. “We want to check each house,” he said. “We’ve got some elderly people in the area. We want to make sure people have the medicines they need.” Emergency Medical Services Authority, an ambulance service provider, transported seven patients, spokeswoman Kelli Bruer said. Bruer said one was in critical condition and several were in serious condition. EMSA earlier said it had transported nine people. May said a few others suffered minor injuries but declined treatment. Public Service Company of Oklahoma reported nearly 5,000 customers without power in the area. A wastewater treatment plant was without power, but no sewer services were affected, Tulsa public information officer Michelle Allen said. The city streets and water departments were assisting with road barricades and debris removal, she said. Nearly 9 million people in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas were in an enhanced area of risk Wednesday, putting them in the bull’s-eye for some of the strongest storms, the national Storm Prediction Center said earlier Wednesday. The area of highest risk included the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. In Louisiana, the National Weather Service issued a flash-flood watch for northern parts of the state until 7 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters say multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms will produce 2 to 4 inches of rain, and perhaps 6 inches in some parts of the state. “Heavy rain from waves of storms could renew flooding over north Louisiana,” said Cynthia Palmer, a forecaster at the weather service’s office in Shreveport, Louisiana. The ground remains saturated in that part of the state, which saw record flooding earlier this month, Palmer said. Story Continues →

Forecasters warn of tornado threat after 7 hurt in Oklahoma heraldonline.com 2016-03-31 12:50 Charles and www.washingtontimes.com

9 Donald Trump says women should be punished for illegal abortion (2.00/5) Washington: Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has kicked off a political storm with his latest controversial comment that women should be punished for illegal abortions, drawing flak from political opponents who termed the remark "horrific" and "shameful". Donald Trump "There has to be some form of punishment," Trump said yesterday in an interview with MSNBC news channel after the host asked him: "Do you believe in punishment for abortion, yes or no? " "For the woman? " asked the host. "Yeah, there has to be some form," Trump, 69, responded. Trump's remarks sparked off a firestorm as his political opponents and women activists slammed him for such an "outrageous" remarks. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton described the comments as "horrific and telling. " "Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling," Clinton, 68, said in a tweet. Democratic presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders said the comments were "shameful". "Once again Donald Trump has demonstrated that he hasn't seriously thought through the issues, and he'll say anything just to get attention," said Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Trump, however, issued a quick clarification as the outcry grew, saying doctors performing the illegal act should be held responsible. "If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman," Trump said. "The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed - like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions," Trump said, but the damage to his campaign had already been done. Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Trump's vileness and contempt for women knew no bounds. "It will indeed be Donald Trump and Republican candidates who are punished come November," Schultz said. "If Donald Trump is going to run successfully as a pro-life candidate, it's time he started listening to the pro-life movement," said Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League. "We know how much women suffer from abortion, and how they are lied to by the abortion industry. Any penalty for illegal abortion should fall on abortion providers, not the women who turn to them in desperation," he said.

Under fire on abortion, Trump fights to court women :: wral.com 2016-03-31 12:10 By PTI www.mid-day.com

10 EgyptAir passenger Ben Innes gets his photo taken with hijacker – video (2.00/5) Footage taken by passenger Huub Hulthuis shows the moment Briton Ben Innes gets his photo taken with EgyptAir plane hijacker Seif Eldin Mustafa on Tuesday. As the two men pose beside each other, the photo is taken, before the steward asks: ‘Another one?’ Given the apparent danger, everyone in the video appears calm The #hijackselfie that wasn't a selfie rss.cnn.com 2016-03-31 11:36 Source: Storyful www.theguardian.com

11 Pedestrian dies after being hit by vehicle on upstate street JAMESTOWN, N. Y. (AP) - Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred in a western New York city. The Jamestown Police Department says a person was crossing West Third Street around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday when a vehicle hit the pedestrian. The person was taken to WCA Hospital in Jamestown, where they later died from the injuries. Police haven’t released the name of the victim or the driver. Jamestown is in Chautauqua County, 60 miles south of Buffalo.

2016-03-31 16:41 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

12 Historic papers behind walls of Asheville home ASHEVILLE, N. C. (AP) - An Asheville man has spent the past month reviewing a cache of documents found hidden in a secret compartment next to the chimney of the landmark home he bought last fall. The Asheville Citizen-Times reports (http://avlne.ws/1MBYHTo) an electrician found the papers of Thomas W. Patton hidden in the Patton-Parker House that attorney Jim Siemens owns. Included in the papers are the signatures of U. S. presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren on land grants to Patton, who was a captain in the Confederate Army. He served as Asheville mayor, Buncombe County commissioner and county tax collector. He died in 1907. Three former slaves built the house, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Siemens is renovating it for a law office. ___ Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, http://www.citizen-times.com

2016-03-31 17:55 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

13 Correction: Uncollected Taxes story SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - In a story on March 29 about legislation that would allow Illinois municipalities to share financial data with third-party vendors, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the National Conference of State Legislatures opposed the bill. NCSL spokesman Mick Bullock said the group has no official position on the legislation. A corrected version of the story is below: Illinois legislation would let cities share taxpayer data Legislation is pending in Springfield that would let cities share sensitive financial data with third parties vendors hired to track uncollected taxes SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Legislation is pending in Springfield that would let Illinois municipalities share sensitive financial data with third-party vendors hired to track uncollected taxes. Democratic state Sen. Michael Hastings of Tinley Park introduced the measure to encourage these business relations, which can be more cost-effective, and are utilized by Springfield and other cities to track revenue owed to them. “We don’t want to limit business with third parties who use this information to determine what a town is entitled to,” Hastings said. “(Alternatives) could cause villages to increase staff or go to another agency, which could be a longer process and cost more.” Under current state law, only certain city employees are allowed to access taxpayers’ financial information, such as taxpayer identification numbers. The Illinois Department of Revenue is concerned that the companies won’t adhere to state and local privacy standards if they’re granted access to financial data, the (Springfield) State Journal-Register (http://bit.ly/1oh02mT) reported. To prevent misuse, the bill includes provisions that would require companies to abide by local rules, to enter into a confidentiality agreement with the revenue department and to have an existing contract with the municipality before it could receive any information. Illinois Chamber of Commerce president Todd Maisch said he opposes the legislation because individuals could be at risk for harassment or intrusion into their personal lives. “Just on principle, we think that tax information is among the most sensitive information businesses and individuals possess, and it is not to be shared,” he said. Other opponents of the bill include the Council on State Taxation, the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois, the American Institute of CPAs and the Tax Executives Institute, according to the state Department of Revenue. The bill is assigned to the Revenue Committee.

2016-03-31 17:54 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

14 Bill to have lawmakers fill US Senate vacancies fails NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A bill to have state lawmakers fill U. S. Senate vacancies has been defeated. Under a proposed amendment to the bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Mae Beavers of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee lawmakers would have been called into a special legislative session to decide the successors of U. S. senators who don’t complete their full six-year terms. The Senate State and Local Government Committee defeated Beavers’ amendment on a voice vote on Wednesday, and then voted 6-2 against the original version of the bill that would have called for a special election to be held within about 100 days of any vacancy. Under current state law, the governor appoints a temporary successor until a new campaign to complete the unexpired term is held at the next regular two-year election cycle. 2016-03-31 17:54 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

15 Public can explore new 520 bridge before it opens to traffic SEATTLE (AP) - Cyclists and pedestrians will have a chance to explore the new State Route 520 floating this weekend before the structure opens to vehicle traffic. The new six-lane bridge over Lake Washington replaces the four-lane version built in 1963. It’s designed to be stronger and safer. A grand opening celebration starts Saturday with a 10K run. Both the old and new 520 bridge will be closed over the weekend for events. Transportation spokesman Steve Peer says the new bridge will open to westbound vehicle traffic on April 11. Eastbound lanes on the new bridge will open April 25, when the state plans to permanently close the old bridge. The new bridge includes a 14-foot wide path for bicyclists and pedestrians and a transit/HOV lane in each direction. ____ On the Internet: http://www.520golong.com/

2016-03-31 17:52 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

16 Burglars get guns, ammunition from range in DeKalb County Just One More Thing... We have sent you a verification email. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your profile. If you do not receive the verification message within a few minutes of signing up, please check your Spam or Junk folder.

2016-03-31 16:32 Steve Burns www.ajc.com

17 Police say 2 macaws found shot, killed in Coral Gables CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) - Authorities are investigating after they say two macaws were found shot and killed in Coral Gables. Local media outlets report the birds were found March 23 on U. S. 1. Police say one of the birds was shot in the head and the other in the face. Authorities believe the birds were fired upon by a BB gun or low-caliber rifle. Coral Gables police spokeswoman Kelly Denham says the birds aren’t owned by anyone and are part of Coral Gables, which has a high bird population. Denham says shooting any bird in the city of Coral Gables is prohibited. Police haven’t identified any potential suspects.

2016-03-31 17:23 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

18 18 Indictment: Tax preparer filed false returns for clients MOUNT VERNON, N. Y. (AP) - A suburban New York tax preparer is accused of filing false returns for his clients. The Journal News reports (http://lohud.us/1q4OCEH ) 59-year-old Samuel Gentle was arraigned Wednesday after a grand jury handed up a 50-count indictment relating to false and fraudulent preparation of individual income tax returns for his clients. Federal prosecutors say some of the thousands of returns the Mount Vernon man’s business, GenGen Inc., filed between 2009 and 2012 contained inflated deductions for business expenses and gifts to charity. In all, prosecutors say the loss from the false preparations was more than $630,000. It’s unclear if Gentle has an attorney who could comment on the charges. ___ Information from: The Journal News, http://www.lohud.com

2016-03-31 17:14 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

19 Rockland County siblings split $1 million Powerball prize STONY POINT, N. Y. (AP) - Five Rockland County siblings are splitting the winnings of a $1 million Powerball prize from a drawing earlier this year. The Journal News reports (http://lohud.us/1UEqENh ) the brothers and sisters from Haverstraw and Stony Point have been taking turns buying lottery tickets every week and are now splitting the winnings from a drawing in January. They scooped up one of the 73 second-place tickets sold in more than 20 states. Yanelly Peralta, Eddy Peralta, Deyanira Peralta, Jose Peralta and Carmen Martinez are each getting a lump sum of $200,000 that will net them about $132,000 each after taxes. The siblings say they’re going to use the money to pay off bills, save for college and take a family vacation. ___ Information from: The Journal News, http://www.lohud.com

2016-03-31 17:14 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

20 Dan Gilbert says Detroit is home for more of his employees DETROIT (AP) - Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert says about 3,100 of his workers live in Detroit, up from just 77 when he moved the mortgage lender’s offices downtown in 2010. The Detroit News reports (http://detne.ws/1UEpvFE ) Gilbert gave the figure Wednesday night during an event at Wayne State University. Gilbert recalled that he moved Quicken from suburban Detroit to continue to attract young talent. Gilbert, who has a degree from Wayne State University Law School, says “there would probably be another 2,000” of his workers calling Detroit home if they could find a place to live. Gilbert’s Bedrock Real Estate Services and its affiliates have invested nearly $2.2 billion in acquiring, renovating and developing more than 85 properties in downtown. He says the hope is to “make as much impact as we can.” ___ Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/

2016-03-31 17:13 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

21 Hearing scheduled in slain Virginia teen case BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A prosecutor says a new preliminary hearing date has been set for two former Virginia Tech students charged in the slaying of a 13-year-old girl. Prosecutor Mary Pettitt says in an email that the hearing is now scheduled for May 20 in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The hearing originally was set for last Monday, but both sides needed more time. Eighteen-year-old David Eisenhauer of Columbia, Maryland, is charged with abduction and first- degree murder in Nicole Lovell’s late January death. Nineteen-year-old Natalie Keepers of Laurel, Maryland, is charged with accessory before and after the fact and with illegally dumping Nicole’s body just across the state line in North Carolina. They remain jailed without bond. Authorities say Nicole was stabbed.

2016-03-31 17:06 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

22 Investigation of 1983 death given to prosecutors; 5 suspects VICKSBURG, Mich. (AP) - Authorities say they have five suspects in the 1983 death of a teenager who may have been intentionally struck by a vehicle in southwestern Michigan. Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas tells WOOD-TV the case has been forwarded to prosecutors for possible charges. Sheriff’s investigators have said they believe 16-year-old Erik Cross was intentionally struck by a vehicle near Vicksburg. Erik’s father found him the morning of June 26, 1983, in the road near the family’s home. Erik Cross’ sister Jackie Mitchell tells WWMT-TV that she wants to know what really happened to her brother. She says he may have been dead before he was run over. In September, Matyas said detectives learned of an effort to conceal information and deceive detectives and Erik’s family.

2016-03-31 17:06 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

23 Harvard taking more steps to acknowledge its ties to slavery CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Harvard’s president says the Ivy league university will do more to acknowledge its ties to slavery. University President Drew Faust announced Wednesday in an op-ed in the student newspaper that the nearly 400-year-old institution will install a plaque next month at the former home for college presidents to recognize the slaves who lived and worked there. Slavery was abolished in Massachusetts in 1783. She’s also convened a committee to recommend other campus sites warranting similar recognition and says Harvard will host a conference on universities and slavery next year. Faust said in her op-ed that Harvard, like many New England institutions, was “directly complicit in America’s system of racial bondage” but has rarely acknowledged it. The announcement comes as Harvard has taken steps to remove university symbols and references that harken to the slave era.

2016-03-31 17:01 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

24 Small town trying to save community-owned grocery store FREDERICK, S. D. (AP) - The small northeastern South Dakota town of Frederick is trying to save its community-owned grocery store. Revenue at the Community Store has been declining, and it needs more investors to stay in business, Manager Michelle Ivy told the American News (http://bit.ly/1ZMW4A8 ). “This is how the community store became the community store - when people came to together and said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to put my money in it,’” board member Heidi Marttila-Losure said. Several small towns in the Dakotas have used the community-owned store concept to keep a local supply of groceries. Residents buy shares, help run the business and typically recirculate the profits back into the community. They also can tailor a store to meet local needs. “We did a survey before Christmas asking if there was anything that would make (residents) more likely to shop there,” Marttila-Losure said. “One was wine, and we are now offering wine at the store.” Frederick’s store also has benches, a microwave and coffee, and serves as a place to socialize. “The atmosphere is really good … the people, the whole works,” said Edgar Head, who visits daily for the companionship and does most of his grocery shopping there. If Frederick’s store closes, the 250 residents will have to drive to Aberdeen or across the North Dakota border to Ellendale to get groceries. Aberdeen is about 35 miles away. Ellendale is closer, at about 15 miles, but for people who can’t drive, “that might as well be 100 miles,” Ivy said. ___ Information from: Aberdeen American News, http://www.aberdeennews.com

2016-03-31 17:01 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

25 Affordable Model 3 is Tesla’s biggest test yet DETROIT (AP) - Tesla Motors built its reputation making sporty, sexy and very expensive electric cars. It’s staking its future on something more affordable. Tesla plans to unveil its Model 3 electric car Thursday night at its Los Angeles design studio. At a starting price of $35,000 - before federal and state government incentives - the Model 3 is less than half the cost of Tesla’s previous models. The car is expected to have a range of at least 200 miles when fully charged, about double what drivers get from competitors in its price range, such as the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3. The Model 3 is the most serious test yet of 13-year-old Tesla’s ability to go from a niche player to a full-fledged automaker. It could be the car that finally makes electrics mainstream - or customers could be scared off by Tesla’s limited number of stores and service centers. Either way, the Model 3 is already changing the industry, spurring competitors to speed development of electric cars and improve their battery range. “The Model 3 is going to be a pivotal model for Tesla,” said Patrick Min, a senior analyst with the car buying site TrueCar.com. Tesla didn’t release details about the car before the event. Potential buyers could start putting down $1,000 deposits Thursday for the Model 3. It’s scheduled to go on sale at the end of next year. Right now, Tesla sells two vehicles: The Model S sedan, which starts at $71,000, and the Model X SUV, which starts around $80,000. But a lower-priced car has been a longtime goal of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In a 2006 blog post, Musk said Tesla planned to build “a wide range of models, including affordably priced family cars” in order to speed the world toward a solar-powered future. The Model 3 puts Tesla within reach of millions more customers. Last year, only 2.1 percent of new cars purchased in the U. S. cost $75,000 or more, but 35 percent - or 5.5 million - cost $35,000 or more, according to TrueCar. The Model 3 is a critical part of the money-losing automaker’s plan to increase sales from around 85,000 this year to 500,000 by 2020. But Tesla faces several hurdles. U. S. buyers remain skeptical of electric cars, and low gas prices haven’t helped already anemic sales. Sales of new electric vehicles grew 6 percent in the U. S. last year, but they still remain less than 1 percent of the overall vehicle market, according to IHS Automotive. Tesla also faces growing competition from big, deep-pocketed rivals like General Motors Co. Here’s what we know about the Model 3: WHEN WILL IT GO ON SALE? Tesla has said it expects to start Model 3 production at its Fremont, California, factory at the end of 2017. But the company has a history of delays. The Model X, which went on sale last fall, was initially due to go on sale in early 2014. Musk said last month that the Model 3, unlike the Model X, is designed for “ease of manufacturing.” Still, some analysts are doubtful. Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas thinks Tesla won’t start building the Model 3 until the end of 2018. WHO ARE ITS COMPETITORS? General Motors is set to start selling the Chevrolet Bolt electric car at the end of this year, a full year before the Model 3. The Bolt will have a similar price tag and a 200-mile range. Hyundai’s Ioniq, which has a 110-mile electric range and could match Tesla on price, goes on sale this fall. Audi will follow with an electric SUV in 2018. Musk said last month he’s not worried. He thinks the Model 3 will compete most directly with small luxury cars like the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Series. HOW DID TESLA MAKE THE MODEL 3 LESS EXPENSIVE? Cheaper batteries. Tesla previously assembled its battery packs with battery cells made in Japan by Panasonic Corp. But Tesla and Panasonic are building a massive, $5 billion factory in Nevada which will supply batteries for the Model 3. Tesla says the scale of the factory will lower the cost of its battery packs by 30 percent.

2016-03-31 16:45 FILE www.washingtontimes.com

26 Authorities: Man stabbed during argument at funeral home BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) - Authorities say a man is expected to recover after being stabbed during an argument at a funeral home in Bay City. A 36-year-old Bay City man was taken to a hospital for treatment after being stabbed in the abdomen Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of Gephart Funeral Home. WSGW-AM reports the injuries weren’t believed to be life-threatening. WNEM-TV reports the men were attending a service at the funeral home. Police say the man suspected in the stabbing fled afterward.

2016-03-31 16:45 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

27 Video: 2 Flight Attendants Injured in Turbulence on American Eagle Flight Now Playing: What Kids Don't Want Their Parents to Know Now Playing: First Graders Overheard Allegedly Plotting to Poison Classmate Now Playing: FBI Agrees to Unlock iPhone in Arkansas Case Now Playing: 2 Flight Attendants Injured in Turbulence on American Eagle Flight Now Playing: Threatening Letters Make Home Too Scary to Live Inhabit Now Playing: University to Investigate After Student Confrontation Over Dreadlocks Now Playing: Students in Flint React to Water Crisis Now Playing: Minneapolis Officer Won't Be Charged in Shooting Death of Jamar Clark Now Playing: Homeless Man Asks Restaurant Owner for Money, Gets Job Now Playing: What Are Preteens Really Doing on Their Phones?

2016-03-31 16:45 ABC News abcnews.go.com

28 WT20 Humour: 7 secrets to Virat Kohli's success As India face West Indies in the second semi- final today, all eyes will be on India’s star batsman. We try to decipher the phenomenon named Virat Kohli, all in good humour! Kohli seeks Sanskari Babuji Alok Nath’s blessings before every series He is Batman and Superman in disguise How Kohli practises before a tough run case He personalises and rehearses iconic Bollywood dialogues to make himself feel superior to opponents Kohli takes tips from Sachin Tendulkar to stay energetic! Kohli diligently listens to PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for motivation The ad that spurs Kohli on to 'Virat' things…

2016-03-31 15:51 By Renin www.mid-day.com

29 EXCHANGE: Students trying to put shoes on Ugandan children QUINCY, Ill. (AP) - Second-grader Abby Press says it’s an easy step-by-step process. “First we get to trace them out. We cut them out, and when we’re all done, we safety pin them,” Abby said. The assembly line was recently hard at work at Ellington School as Leslie Vigor’s kindergarten students and their second-grade buddies in Andrea Eckhardt’s class, along with their families, got some hands-on practice in helping others turn denim jeans into shoes for kids in Uganda. “I think it’s great,” Abby’s dad, Bob Press, said as he traced around pattern pieces. “It’s teaching them they can make a difference.” The Ellington classes are partnering with Sole Hope, a North Carolina-based organization that puts closed-toe shoes on African children. Sole Hope also provides medical clinics, education and jobs for the Ugandan people. Making the shoe pieces is part of a yearlong service learning project designed to broaden the horizons and leadership skills of Ellington students. “We’re a Seven Habits school, learning to be leaders,” Vigor said. “The big quote is ‘be a world changer.’ You can be a world changer in your school, in Quincy and also out in the world.” Vigor plans to go to Uganda to train teachers over the summer through another organization, Fields of Dreams Uganda, launched by former Quincyan Michael Warneke. That group spurred even more opportunities for students to learn about Uganda’s culture, geography, schools and way of life. The students raised enough money to send four children to school in Uganda, thanks to a candy cane fundraiser at Christmastime. And after watching a video about jiggers, sand fleas found in sub-Saharan climates that cause painful wounds to the feet, students wanted to do something to help. That led to working with Sole Hope because closed-toe shoes protect children’s feet from jiggers. “They’re learning they can be a solution to world problems,” Vigor said. The students held a “cutting party” to turn donated denim and plastic folders into pieces of shoes that will be put together in a factory in Uganda and distributed to children. “We were a little hesitant to turn them loose on making patterns and cutting, but they did a fantastic job,” Eckhardt said. “They’re so proud of doing it. They get so excited when they know they’re helping others so far away. I think that’s pretty neat.” Enough denim was left over that students wanted to get their families involved, so they planned a second cutting party and showed off their leadership skills by telling parents and older siblings how to make the shoe pieces. Second-grader Reed Mast worked with his mom, Kim, to trace and cut denim pieces. “It’s kind of fun doing it. You feel good about doing it, and you help them get shoes,” second- grader Reed Mast said. “It’s a win-win-win.” Story Continues →

2016-03-31 15:49 In this www.washingtontimes.com

30 30 Judge rejects plea deal for suspect in triple-fatal crash WILLISTON, N. D. (AP) - A judge has refused to accept a plea agreement for a Tucson, Arizona, woman accused of causing a crash in the western North Dakota oil patch that killed three men. The deal between 20-year-old Kayla Ciha and prosecutors called for a day in jail, which she has already served, 300 hours of community service, three years of probation and restitution. KFYR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1V9iX0b ) that Judge Robin Schmidt rejected the deal Wednesday. Ciha then changed her pleas from guilty to not guilty on charges of negligent homicide and reckless driving. A trial date wasn’t immediately set. Authorities say Ciha caused a July 2015 crash on a McKenzie County road while trying to pass in a no-passing zone. The crash killed men from North Dakota, Michigan and Idaho. Ciha wasn’t hurt. ___ Information from: KFYR-TV, http://www.kfyrtv.com/

2016-03-31 15:35 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

31 Judge schedules Rod Blagojevich’s resentencing for June 30 CHICAGO (AP) - A federal judge says former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be resentenced for his corruption convictions on June 30. U. S. District Judge James Zagel on Wednesday granted a request from federal prosecutors to schedule the resentencing for the 59-year-old Democrat. Prosecutors earlier in the day had declined to retry Blagojevich on five counts tossed by a federal appeals court. Prosecutors’ request came two days after the U. S. Supreme Court refused to hear Blagojevich’s appeal of his 13 remaining corruption convictions. Those include his attempt to sell an appointment to the U. S. Senate vacated by President Barack Obama. The high court was one of Blagojevich’s last hopes to have his remaining convictions tossed or to sharply reduce his 14-year prison sentence.

2016-03-31 15:30 FILE www.washingtontimes.com

32 AP Exclusive: How a tainted Kenyan runner won small US races NEWPORT, Kentucky (AP) - The runners came in all sizes, shapes and ages, from 5 to 99. Celebrating the Fourth of July, some raced in starry tops, shorts and headbands. For them, the 5K through the grounds of a Kentucky whiskey distillery, raising funds for that night’s Independence Day fireworks, was strictly fun. For super-fit Kenyans at the front chasing cash prizes, it was strictly business. Stragglers in the 2015 Great Buffalo Chase were still catching their breath as Lilian Mariita bashfully climbed onto the second step of the winners’ podium, $2,500 the richer. But her whole way of life - crisscrossing America, cashing in at small races, sending winnings back home to her dirt-poor village in Kenya - was about to crumble. Normally, the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency would have no reason to police the annual jog in Frankfort. This time, acting on a tip, drug testers were waiting. Lab techs found steroids in Mariita’s urine sample. She was banned for eight years, the longest of any Kenyan runner. The 27-year-old’s racing career is over, and now she is back at square one: in Nyaramba, the muddy tea-plantation village in western Kenya she thought she’d escaped in 2011, when she left for the promise of a new life pounding American roads. “I used to rely on this for money and I don’t know what is left for me,” Mariita said in an interview in the modest home she built with her U. S. winnings, sobbing while her Kentucky-born 2-year- old daughter gulped milk from a Minnie Mouse bottle. “What will I do now? What will I eat now?” ___ With Mariita caught, track’s global governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, says it is also zeroing in on her agent, former elite Russian athlete Larisa Mikhaylova, and the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners she manages out of Kentucky. Mikhaylova’s business model is simple. In exchange for a cut of their prizes, she enters runners into far-flung U. S. road races, from Florida in the south to Michigan in the north, that are small enough to be winnable but still large enough to offer modest cash rewards to top finishers. An added bonus for anyone thinking of cheating at lower-tier recreational runs is that they often don’t have funds for expensive drug-testing. Mikhaylova’s runners have a remarkable success rate - and a string of positive drug tests, nearly all at races in Mexico. In an interview with The Associated Press, Mikhaylova insisted she was blameless, saying she registers athletes only for U. S. races and that runners were freelancing when they competed in Mexico. Still, their failed tests placed her business on the radar of anti- doping investigators and some U. S. race directors told AP they’ll no longer accept any of her runners. Three Kenyans who worked with Mikhaylova have been caught doping since 2012. “We are working with USADA on her, and that group in particular,” said Kyle Barber, the IAAF out-of-competition testing and intelligence coordinator. “The ultimate goal of this investigation is to stop her working, to stop her being an active agent, to stop her being involved in the sport.” Jynocel Basweti, the father of Mariita’s daughter, tested positive at a Mexican marathon for a steroid used in veterinary medicine. Nixon Kiplagat Cherutich was busted for a byproduct of the steroid nandrolone, also in Mexico. And Mariita failed two doping tests - one in Mexico, the other in Frankfort, Kentucky - in eight months. Their stories represent the underbelly of a top-to-bottom doping crisis in Kenya’s thriving but ill- regulated running industry. The East African distance running powerhouse won 11 athletics medals at the 2012 London Olympics, but has also since suffered the ignominy of having 40 runners banned for doping violations. The sluggish response of Kenyan authorities is generating mounting pressure for action from the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency, and from Kenyan athletes concerned they might be turned away from overseas races, including the Rio de Janeiro Games in August. WADA has given Kenya until next Tuesday to fall in line with global anti-doping rules. Missing that deadline and being declared non-compliant by WADA could put the onus on the IAAF to then suspend Kenya from international competition, as it has Russia. Story Continues →

2016-03-31 15:30 FILE www.washingtontimes.com

33 Person in custody after shots fired from interstate overpass BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S. C. (AP) - Lexington County sheriff’s deputies say one person is in custody after shots were fired from an overpass at vehicles traveling east on Interstate 20. Sheriff’s Capt. Adam Myrick told local media outlets that the suspect’s name has not yet been released. There is no word yet on the charges. Myrick said the sheriff’s office has increased patrols in the area near Batesburg-Leesville. He says several vehicles were hit by gunfire early Wednesday. Myrick said a South Carolina Transport Police officer found one person had been wounded when checking a car parked along I-20. The person was in stable condition.

2016-03-31 15:30 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

34 Inmates protest food quality at 2nd northern Michigan prison KINCHELOE, Mich. (AP) - Inmates at a second prison in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have participated in a peaceful protest over the quality of food provided by a state contractor, an official said. Demonstrations at Chippewa Correctional Facility took place Saturday through Monday, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz. They followed protests on March 20-21 at Kinross Correctional Facility, another Kincheloe-area prison. Gautz told the Detroit Free Press (http://on.freep.com/1UEmRjb ) that food and other issues were the subject of the protest at Chippewa. He said nearly all prisoners in one wing refused to show up for meals. “It’s definitely something the facilities took seriously,” Gautz said. “It is unusual in a high school or a prison, because there are different groups or cliques that form, to have everybody on the same page. It takes some coordination.” Oldsmar, Florida-based Trinity Services Group replaced Philadelphia-based Aramark Correctional Services as Michigan’s prison food contractor last year. “The warden met with prisoners, talked with Trinity and sent out a message to the population on Monday addressing their concerns and about changes being made,” Gautz said. “Things were back to normal Tuesday morning after feeling their concerns had been met.” The Associated Press sent an email Thursday seeking comment from a Trinity spokesman. Lamont Heard, a Kinross inmate serving a life sentence for murder, told the Free Press in a telephone interview that the demonstrations were about food as well as complaints about a lack of ventilation and problems with overflowing toilets. Gautz said officials are looking at making improvements. Trinity’s three-year, $158 million prison food contract was approved in July after Gov. Rick Snyder announced that Michigan and Aramark had mutually agreed to end their troubled three- year, $145 million contract early. Aramark and the state cut ties after company-initiated talks about a possible billing increase and other issues. Michigan had fined Aramark $200,000 for unapproved menu substitutions, worker misconduct and other issues. ___ Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com 2016-03-31 15:29 - Associated Press - Thursday, March 31, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

35 VIDEO: Dept. of Transportation Incident Responders A consultant proposes a parking fee of $2 a day or $40 for a monthly parking pass at the Tacoma Dome Transit Station garages. This video shows the intersection of southbound South Tacoma Way and South Washington Street in Tacoma. There is no turn on red here. The city will upgrade Traffic Avenue and the S. R. 410 interchange. Born as a reaction to Tacoma gang violence YMCA's Late Nite celebrates 25 years as a safe haven for teen basketball on the Hilltop. Students at Franklin Pierce High School get help from advisers as they chart their post- graduation future. As high school graduation rates rise, the school district is looking to focus more on college and career plans. Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid talks CONCACAF. University of Washington's Joe Mathis takes on a new role with the Huskies this season. After a successful run as a pass rusher, he'll be an outside linebacker this fall. University of Washington defensive back Sidney Jones discusses Husky football following Wednesday's practice. University of Washington football players run through a tackling drill at spring practice. University of Washington football players run through drills during practice on March 30, 2016.

2016-03-31 12:57 www.thenewstribune.com

36 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times Yet, the paradox of rumor is that while it cannot be disproved easily, it also cannot be brushed away as falsehood; it hangs out in the grey zone where fact morphs into fiction. Is the Russian rumor becoming reality? Indeed, the Turkish General Staff felt compelled to issue an extraordinary statement on March 31 in Ankara refuting that there could be a coup d’etat by the military. The statement said, “Discipline, absolute obedience and single order command is essential in the Turkish Armed Forces. It is not possible there to be any concessions to any illegal or out-of-command chain hierarchy establishment (sic)”. The statement added that criminal charges have been initiated against those disseminating such rumors. It stressed the Turkish armed forces’ “loyalty to democracy” and regretted that such rumors “naturally demoralize the military personnel”. To be sure, the current four-day visit by Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan to the US attracts attention. Its outcome will be carefully analyzed because it can impact Turkish politics at a crucial juncture when the Middle East is in deep crisis. The signs of mounting western pressure against Erdogan are apparent. A song and video, which was aired last week on Extra 3, a satire program on German public broadcaster NDR, titled “Erdowie, Erdowo, Erdogan”, ridiculed the Turkish president, his alleged extravagant spending and crackdown on civil liberties. The footage showed Erdogan’s most absurd public comments interspersed with his crackdown on protestors. Ankara protested and demanded that the program should be deleted. Berlin knows that hell has no fury like an Erdogan scorned. Germany depends heavily on Ankara to stem the refugee flow from Syria. In fact, Chancellor Angela Merkel personally piloted the recent deal with Turkey whereby for helping out with Europe’s refugee crisis, European Union will open a new chapter in its moribund accession process and liberalize visas for Turkish nationals plus make a seductive gift of $6.6 billion as financial aid. Nonetheless, astonishingly enough, Berlin flatly said ‘Nein’ to the Turkish demarche. The German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman retorted, “[It has been] made clear that despite all the interests Germany and Turkey share, the view on press freedom and freedom of expression is non-negotiable for us.” Meanwhile, European diplomats made it a point to attend the trial in Istanbul last week of two top Turkish editors who have annoyed Erdogan. Erdogan condemned their lack of diplomatic propriety. But the British consul-general crossed all limits by taking a selfie in the court room and posting it on the social network sites. The French foreign ministry rejected Erdogan’s protest, arguing, “The diplomats follow the news in their country of residence and, in that context, routinely attend judicial hearings as observers around the world.” The intention, clearly, is to provoke the ‘Sultan’ and draw him out into a nasty street brawl that he possibly cannot win amidst the highly vitriolic western media campaign against him, alternatively lampooning and condemning him. The US state department and White House spokesmen have been regularly making taunting remarks regarding Erdogan’s crackdown on dissent. Amidst all this comes the unkindest cut of all – US president Barack Obama’s refusal to grant a one-on-one to Erdogan on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. Obama will only have an “informal meeting.” Obama also turned down Erdogan’s invitation to the opening of a newly-built mosque, financed by Turkey, in Maryland. And, on the eve of Erdogan’s departure from Ankara, Washington ordered all American diplomatic and military families to leave southern Turkey due to “increased threats from terrorist groups”. On the face of it, a war of nerves over the Syrian situation is likely nearing flashpoint. Turkey’s continued support of extremist groups in Syria and its non-participation in the US-led operations against Islamic State in Iraq; Turkey’s perception of Syrian Kurds as terrorists, while US sees them as allies; Turkey’s lukewarm attitude toward the Syrian peace process sponsored by the UN; Turkey’s perceived doublespeak on Syrian refugees pouring into Europe and so on have annoyed Washington. On the other hand, there is a sense of impotence, since the US-led coalition against the Islamic State operates out of Incirlik airbase in southeastern Turkey. But the crumbling US-Turkey relationship has a wider background. The differences over Syria bring out that the US and Turkey have different identities, interests and priorities. Erdogan believes that Turkey should be a ‘stand-alone’ Middle Eastern power, which could have selective cooperation with the US, but the six-decade old strategic congruence has become an ‘a la carte’ choice. Erdogan’s lurch toward the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (and Russia); his inclination to source missile defence system from China; his dalliance with Iran and refusal to identify with US’ containment strategy; his growing disinterest in the EU accession process; his rupture with Israel; his mentorship of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood – these are symptomatic of a bigger problem, namely, Turkey’s independent trajectory in foreign policies, albeit being a NATO country. Added to that, the empathetic relationship between Obama and Erdogan has broken down. Erdogan is no more the role model for a New Middle East, as Obama visualized in 2010 – a “moderate Muslim leader who would bridge the divide between East and West.” Today Obama sees Erdogan as “a failure and an authoritarian”. However, the mother of all ironies would be that if the US seeks a regime change in Turkey, it will be to overthrow a democratic-elected, charismatic, able politician with a huge popular base that embraces virtually one half of all Turkey. Washington’s frustration is essentially that Erdogan has spun out of the US orbit. Now, is that justification for ‘regime change’? Obama overlooks that the Turkish-American alliance is as ancient as the hills. Turkey holds a unique importance to the US in the volatile Middle East. To quote Soner Cagaptay at the Washington Institute of Middle East Policy, Although Washington has other allies in the Gulf and Europe, Turkey is the only NATO ally that borders Iraq and Syria. Its absence from U. S. war efforts complicates operational logistics and drives up the cost associated with air operations. While Ankara must decide how much U. S. leadership it can stomach, Washington, too, needs to decide how much it wants Turkey on its side. It shouldn’t be really so very difficult to understand Turkey’s core interests in northern Syria. Are they any less legitimate or vital than Russia’s in Ukraine or the US’ in Mexico? Simply demonizing Erdogan will not do. What we witness here is the efficacy of a multipolar world order. Ambassador MK Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for over 29 years, with postings including India’s ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to Turkey (1998-2001). He writes the “Indian Punchline” blog and has written regularly for Asia Times since 2001. (Copyright 2016 Asia Times Holdings Limited, a duly registered Hong Kong company. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

2016-03-31 08:46 atimes.com

37 P26-M gagastusin ng Comelec para sa uniporme ng mga BEI, empleyado Gagastos ang Comelec ng P26 milyon para sa uniporme ng mga empleyado at Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs). Nagpa-bidding na rin ang ahensya sa mga gagamiting pang-gupit ng voters receipt. Nagpa-Patrol, Pia Gutierrez. TV Patrol, Miyerkules, Marso 30, 2016 Watch the latest episode of TV Patrol also in iWant TV or TFC

2016-03-31 13:18 ABS-CBN news.abs-cbn.com

38 38 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years - CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. The mission had been scheduled for launch in the fall of 2009. The Mars Science Lab is a large, nuclear- powered rover designed to traverse long distances with a suite of onboard scientific instruments aboard. It is, according to NASA's Web site, part of a "long-term effort of robotic exploration" established to "study the early environmental history of Mars" and assess whether Mars has ever been -- or still is -- able to sustain life. The delay of the launch, according to NASA, is due to a number of "testing and hardware challenges that must (still) be addressed to ensure mission success. " "The progress in recent weeks has not come fast enough on solving technical challenges and pulling hardware together," said Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Changing to a 2011 launch "will allow for careful resolution of any remaining technical problems, proper and thorough testing, and avoid a mad dash to launch," argued NASA Associate Administrator Ed Weiler. The overall cost of the Mars Science Lab is now projected to be roughly $2.1 billion, according to NASA spokesman Dwayne Browne. The project originally carried a price tag of $1.6 billion. NASA's entire budget for the current fiscal year, according to Browne, is approximately $15 billion. According to NASA, the Mars rover will use new technologies and be engineered to explore greater distances over rougher terrain than previous missions to the planet. This will be done in part by employing a new surface propulsion system. "Failure is not an option on this mission," Weiler said. "The science is too important and the investment of American taxpayer dollars compels us to be absolutely certain that we have done everything possible to ensure the success of this flagship planetary mission. " Weiler asserted that, based on the agency's preliminary evaluations, additional costs tied to the delay of the Science Lab launch would not result in the cancellation of other NASA programs over the next two years. He did, however, concede that it would result in other unspecified program delays. Critics have charged that the delay and cost overruns associated with the Mars Science Lab are indicative of an agency that is plagued by a lack of accountability and inefficiency in terms of its management of both time and taxpayer dollars. "The Mars Science Laboratory is only the latest symptom of a NASA culture that has lost control of spending," wrote Alan Stern, a former NASA associate administrator, in a November 24 op- ed in the New York Times. "A cancer is overtaking our space agency: the routine acquiescence to immense cost increases in projects. " Stern charged that the agency's cost overruns are being fueled by "managers who disguise the size of cost increases that missions incur" and "members of Congress who accept steep increases to protect local jobs. " Browne replied in a written statement saying that NASA administrators are "constantly working to improve (the agency's) cost-estimating capabilities. ... We continually review our projects to understand the true risk in terms of performance, cost and schedule. " "The fact of life at NASA, where we are charged with creating first-of-a-kind missions of scientific discovery, is that estimating the costs of... science can be almost as difficult as actually doing the science," Browne said. NASA's most recent Mars project -- the mission of the Phoenix Mars Lander -- came to an end last month after the solar-powered vehicle's batteries ran down as the result of a dust storm and the onset of Martian winter. It had operated two months beyond its initial three-month mission. NASA officials had landed the vehicle on an arctic plain after satellite observations indicated there were vast quantities of frozen water in that area, most likely in the form of permafrost. They thought such a location would be a promising place to look for organic chemicals that would signal a habitable environment. Scientists were able to verify the presence of water-ice in the Martian subsurface, find small concentrations of salts that could be nutrients for life, and observe snow descending from the clouds, NASA said Thursday.

2016-03-31 08:16 Alan Silverleib rss.cnn.com

39 Kangana Ranaut's lawyer: No police officer can summon my client Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee in reply to the summons states that "No Police Officer can summon my client Ms. Kangana Ranaut or her sister Ms. Rangoli to any police station to record their statement as a witness under Section 160 of CRPC. The Witness summons sent to my client and her sister by the Police Officer is patently illegal, as no woman can ever be called to the police station to record their statements as per the provisions of law. " Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut "Nonetheless my client who is shown to be a victim as per the claims of Mr. Hrithik Roshan has herself willingly expressed her desire to co-operate with the officers in accordance to the provisions of law, as well as in her reply to the Summons she has duly reserved her rights to file an appropriate criminal complaint against Mr. Hrithik Roshan and his associates for hacking two of her email accounts, which includes the email from which Mr. Hrithik Roshan admittedly claims to have personally received about 1439 emails from my client on his correct email id as well the email from which my client was communicating with the alleged imposter. Hrithik Roshan breaks 'dignified silence', names Kangana Ranaut in FIR against impostor The Crux of the matter is simple Mr. Hrithik Roshan had admittedly full knowledge of the so- called imposter in the month of May 2014. However, he did not wish to take any action against the so-called imposter for good seven months nor did he as a responsible citizen, then bother to take the required details of the imposter from my client during those seven months. Thereafter sometime in December 2014 Mr. Hrithik Roshan filed an informal complaint with the cyber cell, with full knowledge that no investigation shall be carried out by the Police on an informal complaint. During this time Mr. Hrithik Roshan admittedly started receiving mails from my client on his correct email id for more than a year, however he did not block them for reasons best known to him. Mr. Hrithik Roshan then thereafter sent a defamation Notice to my client stating my client defamed him because "Silly-Ex" referred to by my client in one of her interviews was him. Watch: Here's what Kangana Ranaut said when quizzed about Hrithik Roshan In his Notice, he claimed that he did not know my client socially at all. He also interalia claimed that he was receiving 50 emails a day from my client. He further specifically claimed that my client was using his name to gain publicity. In reply to his Advocate's notice, I on behalf of my client proved the extent of blatant lies that his notice contained and questioned him as to how was he attending my client's private birthday party with his entire family and my client was attending his party besides his sister's and his father's birthday party as well, if he did not know my client socially at all. Besides I questioned him on his exaggerated claims of receiving 50 emails from my client ever day and why did he prudently not block my client if it was one-way communication. The basis of sending a defamation notice was also questioned as no case for defamation was made out in the Notice. Mr. Hrithik Roshan was also prudently questioned as to why no case was registered against an imposter at the right time when it was required. He was required to act on my Notice within 7 days. However thereafter he cleverly chose to maintain a 'dignified silence' as there could not have been any good reply to my notice where his statements were proved to be blatant lies. Subsequent to this he conveniently chose to divert all media attention to a so-called imposter to deviate from the main subject of having criminally threatened my client and having intimidated her, without any provocation or good reason at all. As a matter of fact it is my client who has actually suffered and has yet maintained a dignified silence so far. These acts of deviating media attention is another unintelligent attempt. Things were started by Mr. Hrithik Roshan and he should come forward and end it in a proper manner. "

Hrithik Roshan breaks 'dignified silence', names Kangana Ranaut in FIR against impostor mid-day.com 2016-03-31 14:19 By Shubha www.mid-day.com

40 'Exciting' new genetic test for child cancer patients UK scientists are beginning work to genetically test tumours from children with cancer. They hope this will give younger patients access to newer, more personalised medicines and further improve survival rates. The new test analyses changes in 81 different cancer genes. Scientists say it should lead to "a more level playing field", and accelerate children's access to important new drugs. The testing is based at the Royal Marsden NHS Hospital in London and will reach 400 children from around the UK over the next two years. The implementation of the test has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). A charity called Christopher's Smile - set up by a couple whose only child died from an aggressive brain tumour just before his sixth birthday - also provided more than £300,000 to develop the test. Karen and Kevin Capel, Christopher's parents, said: "This is the first real step towards personalised cancer medicine for children. "Christopher was treated for a generic kind of tumour. Hopefully children in the future will know exactly what kind of tumour they have. "It almost felt like the treatments were going to kill our son, rather than the cancer. "He had been a healthy, happy, very sporty four-year-old. But he turned into a child who couldn't speak or feed himself, and lost a huge amount of weight. "He wasn't the child he'd grown into at the age of diagnosis. We're striving to get away from this for other children. " Cancer tumours are rare in children so, without a big patient population, there is less of an incentive for pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials. This means they risk missing out on innovative treatments which target the cancer cells, leaving healthy ones alone. Prof Louis Chesler, who is leading the genetic testing research, said: "Children often don't have equal access to the most modern and potentially beneficial cancer drugs. "The cost of developing these gene-targeted drugs is very high. They tend to go to adults first, where more people are being treated and results can be seen more quickly. "This test is an incredible advance, because it will define all the genetic changes in the tumour with great clarity. "That gives clinicians an enormously powerful tool - helping them pick the right drugs for children, and establishing that they are effective as quickly as possible. "And children's cancers are genetically more simple than adult ones, so ultimately these drugs have a chance of being more effective in children. " The test aims to give scientists and doctors detailed genetic information about a child's tumour within a few weeks of diagnosis. It will enable them to make a stronger case for using targeted drugs on some young patients, possibly saving them from the side-effects associated with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Jack Daly, 14, from Wokingham, survived a brain tumour which was detected when he was seven. Radiotherapy helped save his life - but has left damaging after-effects. Jack said: "My motor skills aren't very good. I have to have help getting dressed for school. "My balance isn't very good - I'm clumsy and fall over. I struggle at school, and with friendships sometimes. " Jack and his mother Helen have supported the Capels with their fundraising - and hope the test will make a huge difference to the quality of life for children in the future. Helen said: "People don't really see there's a problem because Jack's cancer is over. He's not in a wheelchair. He hasn't got bandages on. "If you look at Jack, he's a regular teenage boy. But underneath there are problems because of brain damage from the treatment. "

2016-03-31 11:37 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

41 Libya's unity government leaders in Tripoli power bid Leaders of Libya's new unity government have arrived in the capital, Tripoli, by boat in an attempt to take control. Over recent days, Tripoli's airspace has been intermittently closed to stop the Presidency Council, which has been based in Tunisia, from arriving by air. Libya's UN envoy called for "a peaceful and orderly handover". But hardliners in the coalition that controls Tripoli are opposed to the UN-brokered deal aimed at reconciling a nation split by five years of conflict. In a televised address, the head of the Tripoli authorities, Khalifa Ghweil, said he regarded the politicians as interlopers and said they were not welcome. He urged "the illegitimate outsiders to surrender and be safe in our custody or to return to where they came from". Late on Wednesday, journalists from a television channel supportive of authorities in Tripoli said it was taken off air after gunmen stormed its offices. It was not clear to whom the gunmen were affiliated. Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 overthrow of long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi by Nato-backed forces. From 2014 it has had two competing administrations, one in Tripoli backed by powerful militias and the other about 1,000km (620 miles) away in the port city of Tobruk. In the first hours after the politicians' arrival at the navy base, militias on armed pick-up trucks were seen securing most parts of the capital. But by early evening, gunfire from rival groups started ringing out. It is not clear what their plan is, but things are now tense. Many of the brigades in western Libya have fallen in line behind the Presidency Council. However, the reality is that these are the very same militias who led and facilitated the existence of the rival authorities in Tripoli since 2014. Their continued prominent role means their status will not change - it simply puts any new government at their mercy. Ultimately they are Libya's rulers. Militia allegiances often shift out of convenience and with the need to survive. Key to any progress and long-term transformation of Libya will be having a government that can control these brigades. In December, some rival lawmakers signed up to the UN agreement to form a unity government, but the deal has not yet been backed by all the country's many militia brigades that formed after the uprising. The deal saw the formation of a nine-member Presidency Council, which includes the unity Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj who arrived with some of his deputies at a naval base in Tripoli on Wednesday. Mr Sarraj said it was time to turn a new page and reconcile, saying he intended to build state institutions and implement a ceasefire. "Revenge, alienation, antipathy, and hatred don't build a state," the AP news agency quoted him as saying. The BBC's North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad says the Presidency Council has faced numerous challenges since its formation, chief of which has been its inability to establish a presence in Tripoli. UN envoy Martin Kobler said the politicians' arrival in Tripoli - after at least two failed attempts to fly in - marked "an important step in Libya's democratic transition and path to peace, security and prosperity". In a statement, he "urged all public bodies, including official financial institutions, to facilitate an immediate, orderly and peaceful handover of power". US Secretary of State John Kerry said it was "not the time for obstructionists to hold back progress". But our reporter says it is not clear how Mr Sarraj and his colleagues will be able to take over state institutions in Tripoli, given the stiff rivalry they face and the fact that members of his proposed cabinet are based all over the country. The political and security vacuum in Libya has helped the so-called Islamic State group to establish a foothold in the north African country, carrying out attacks on cities and against oil installations. Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj was born in Tripoli in 1960 into a prominent local family. His politician father, Mustafa, held office under King Idris, whose 18-year monarchy ended in 1969 when he was overthrown by Muammar Gaddafi. Al-Jazeera TV has described Mustafa Sarraj as "one of the founders of the modern state of Libya after its independence from Italy". During the Gaddafi era, Fayez Sarraj was not prominent politically but did hold several posts at the Housing Ministry. After the uprising in 2011, he became a member of the National Dialogue Commission - a group trying to establish national consensus and unity in Libya. He was later nominated for membership of the House of Representatives for the constituency of al-Andalus in Tripoli. His choice as prime minister was seen as a compromise as he is not affiliated to any political party involved in the power struggle.

2016-03-31 12:36 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

42 Nobel literature laureate Imre Kertesz dies at 86 BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Imre Kertesz, the Hungarian writer who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature for a body of fiction largely drawn from his experience as a teenage prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, died Thursday. He was 86. Book publishing firm Magveto Kiado said Kertesz died at 4 a.m. at his Budapest home after a long illness. "His death is an immeasurable loss not just for Hungarian culture but for universal culture, as well," Hungary's Ministry of Human Resources said in a statement. Germany, where Kertesz lived for a long time before returning to Hungary a few years ago, also paid tribute. "Through his work, Imre Kertesz brought a new tone to the remembrance of the darkest years of our history," said Germany's culture minister, Monika Gruetters. "As a witness, he wrote with great literary mastery of his harrowing experiences at the concentration camp. His books... are his legacy and will remain unforgotten and haunting history books for future generations. " In a statement, Gruetters noted "the esteem that he showed for Germans despite his bitter experiences," which she said found "noble expression" in his decision to entrust his archive to the Academy of Arts in Berlin. Kertesz was only 14 when he was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland in 1944. He survived that camp and later was transferred to the Buchenwald camp from where he was liberated in 1945. "As a child you have a certain trust in life. But when something like Auschwitz happens, everything falls apart," he once said. Yet Kertesz also made a startling confession that he experienced "my most radical moments of happiness" while at Auschwitz. "You cannot imagine what it's like to be allowed to lie in the camp's hospital, or to have a 10- minute break from indescribable labor," he told Newsweek magazine in a 2002 interview. "To be very close to death is also a kind of happiness. Just surviving becomes the greatest freedom of all. " After returning to his native Budapest, Kertesz eked out a living working as a journalist and translator. Distrusted by the communist authorities who ruled Hungary after World War II, he spent his time translating into Hungarian the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Elias Canetti in a small apartment overlooking the Danube River. Influenced by the postwar existentialist novels of Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre, Kertesz was fascinated by the fate of the individual in an often totalitarian environment, where others decided his destiny. "I am a non-believing Jew," Kertesz once said in an interview. "Yet as a Jew I was taken to Auschwitz. I belong to those Jews whom Auschwitz turned into Jews. " "Fateless," the novel that together with other works won him the 2002 Nobel, finally appeared in 1975 after a decade-long struggle to have it published. It was largely ignored, both by the communist authorities and the public in a country where awareness of the Holocaust remained negligible, despite the murder of around 500,000 Hungarian Jews by the Nazis and their Hungarian henchmen. According to Kertesz, the quasi-taboo status suffered by "Fateless" for so long may have been rooted in the fact that despite its Holocaust theme, the book also reflected Hungary's totalitarian communist system. "I wrote 'Fateless' about the Kadar regime," Kertesz said in an interview with the Hungarian weekly Elet es Irodalom, referring to communist dictator Janos Kadar, who ruled Hungary until shortly before the democratic changes of 1990. "Whoever lived in the Hungary of the 1970s had to notice immediately that the author (of "Fateless") knew the present and despised it," Kertesz said. To Kertesz, the process of adaptation to the Holocaust described in his book could just as well be applied to what happened to people in Hungary after the failed anti-communist revolution of 1956. In its citation for the Nobel Prize, the Swedish Academy also recognized this element of Kertesz's writing. "Kertesz's message is that to live is to conform," the academy said. "Individual experience seems useless as soon as it is considered in the light of the needs and interests of the human collective. " Others said Kertesz's work could also be seen as a study of all repressive regimes. "Kertesz's significance was that in some sense he formulated the essence of totalitarianism," said Gabor T. Szanto, a writer and editor of Szombat, a Jewish cultural magazine. Numerous other novels, continuing the themes of the Holocaust, dictatorship and personal freedom, appeared throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning Kertesz professional respect but failing to gain him a wider audience. All that changed upon his winning the Nobel, which suddenly propelled him to domestic and international fame. His infrequent personal appearances in Hungary in wake of the Nobel Prize were a massive success, with hundreds of people standing in line for hours to get his autograph on their copies of his books. In his Nobel acceptance speech, Kertesz claimed with typical self-irony that he wrote only for himself. "I didn't have an audience and didn't want to influence anyone," he said. In literary circles, he was regarded as a jovial companion, with a harsh, no-nonsense critical eye. A typical gesture was his refusal to support a statue being raised in his honor alongside that of other Hungarian Nobel winners. Still, Kertesz's Nobel victory, making him the first Hungarian to win the literature prize, caused great resentment among some Hungarians who would have preferred that a non-Jewish countryman get the honor instead. "Fateless," however, was later incorporated into Hungary's high school curriculum and Kertesz was awarded several state honors. Kertesz described "Liquidation," published in 2003, as his "last novel about the Holocaust. " Set during Hungary's transition from communism to democracy in 1989, he said it was about "people who did not experience the Holocaust directly — the second generation, who still have to deal with the Holocaust. " Among his other books were "Fiasco" (1988) and "Kaddish For A Child Not Born" (1990) — which formed a trilogy with "Fateless" — "Someone Else" (1997), "The K File" (2006), an autobiographical novel, and "Europe's Depressing Heritage" (2008). Magveto Kiado said that during the last months of his life, even while ill, Kertesz helped prepare "The Viewer," a selection of his diary entries between 1991 and 2001 which was published this month in Hungary. A film version of "Fateless," directed by Lajos Koltai and for which Kertesz wrote the screenplay, premiered in Hungary in 2005. He is survived by his second wife, Magda. ___ Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

2016-03-31 13:50 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

43 Quique Sanchez Flores committed to Watford amid Spain speculation Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is flattered to be linked with taking charge of the Spanish national team but insists his focus is squarely with the Hornets. There is speculation over Vicente del Bosque's future as Spain coach beyond this summer's European Championship and Flores is among the names mooted to replace him after stabilising Watford in the Premier League. But former Valencia and Atletico Madrid boss Flores, who has also been linked with a return to Los Che following Gary Neville's sacking on Wednesday, is eager to remain in England for the time being. Flores said: "I am completely happy in Watford, I love the fans of Watford and I am really happy with every person who is working for Watford. We are a family and I can say I am happy. "It is normal. Vicente may decide to depart after an amazing time and people are trying to find names. "It is good that they think I am good enough to be considered in Spain but I belong to Watford. "Today Watford, tomorrow Watford, and for the future Watford. "I do not want to consider anything now that is not Watford. " Watford, promoted last year, seem certain for a second season in the top flight as they sit 11 points clear of the bottom three with eight fixtures left. But Flores does not want his players to become complacent in the upcoming games. He said: "I want to think that we are not safe because it is our ambition to win every single game. "This should be the team's ambition. At the moment they maybe have the feeling they are in stand-by because it is the last month and we are in a comfortable position and I do not like that. "We need to recuperate our energy, the energy we usually have. "It is not my mentality, we fight. The league is our first objective. The most important thing is to focus on the next matches. " Flores is downbeat about keeping on-loan Chelsea defender Nathan Ake at Vicarage Road beyond the end of the campaign. Ake, who has played 23 times for Watford this season, has been very open about his desire to prove himself with the Blues. Flores added: "Ake is young and he is making a very good impression as a player. "Of course he wants to (go back) to try and show himself at Chelsea. "It is natural he wants that but what happens in the next three months it is impossible to know that. " Press Association

2016-03-31 13:06 www.independent.ie

44 Current account deficit hits record high as GDP revised higher Britain’s trading position with the rest of the world has deteriorated sharply with the current account deficit swelling to its widest on record, fanning fears about the sustainability of the economic recovery. News of the ballooning current account shortfall overshadowed figures showing economic growth was stronger than first thought in the fourth quarter. GDP rose 0.6% compared with an earlier estimate of 0.5% and 0.4% growth the previous quarter, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Experts warned that even that brighter headline figure masked an unbalanced economy with consumer spending being relied on while industry contracted and business investment dropped sharply. At the same time household incomes were shown to have fallen in real terms, casting doubt over how much longer consumers could keep up their pace of spending. It was the figures showing a sharp rise in Britain’s current account that grabbed the most attention and fuelled the debate around the UK’s economic prospects should it opt to leave the EU. The current account deficit reflects Britain’s trade gap with the rest of the world and the shortfall between money paid out by the UK and money coming in. It swelled to £32.7bn in the fourth quarter, equivalent to 7% of GDP, up from 4.3% in the third quarter. This was the highest since quarterly records began in 1955. Economists in a Reuters poll had expected the deficit to widen to £21.1bn. For 2015 as a whole, the current account deficit hit £96.2bn or 5.2% of GDP, the widest since records began in 1948. The Bank of England has highlighted that the UK relies on foreign investors to fund the shortfall on its balance of payments and has expressed concern that in the event of a vote to leave the EU in June’s referendum foreign investors will become more nervous about buying, or holding, UK assets. Chancellor George Osborne, who is campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU, welcomed the growth upgrade by added: “The UK is not immune to risks in the global economy as slowing global growth weighs on our outlook. Today’s figures expose the real danger of economic uncertainty and shows that now is precisely not the time to put our economic security at risk by leaving the EU.” Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight said the widening current account deficit could become an increasing problem if financial markets lose confidence in the UK economy for any reason. “This would make it harder for the UK to attract the investment inflows that it needs to finance the current account deficit and could weigh heavily down on sterling.” He added: “An obvious potential trigger for the markets losing confidence in the UK economy could be a vote to leave the EU in the 23 June referendum.” The widening in the overall current account shortfall came as Britain’s trade deficit worsened and as the deficit on investment income also widened. As exports fell in the final quarter of 2015 but imports increased, the trade deficit grew to £12.2bn from £8.9bn in the previous quarter. The bigger factor, was the deterioration in the so-called primary income deficit. That more than doubled to £13.1bn in the fourth quarter from £5.8bn in the third quarter, mostly on the back of a drop in receipts from direct investment and portfolio investment abroad. At the same time, there was an increase in payments to foreign direct investors. Alan Clarke, economist at Scotiabank explained: “In other words, dividend payments to overseas investors into UK assets have far outweighed the investment income that UK investors have earned on their investments overseas.” “The problem is that the UK economy is outperforming its neighbours (a nice problem to have). The UK’s main trading partners have not grown as fast as the UK – hence the returns on our investments in those markets have suffered. We have invested badly into slow growing markets. By contrast, overseas investors into the UK have done well.” But that picture played down fears over foreign direct investment being hit if the UK leaves the EU, Clarke added. “Where would you rather invest – a fast growing economy like the UK or an economy with persistent disappointments in growth?” The GDP figures showed the services sector, the largest part of the economy, was now thought to have expanded 0.8% in the final quarter, up from the previous estimate of 0.7%. Construction output was also revised up to 0.3% growth from a previous estimate of a 0.4% contraction. Industrial production fell 0.4%. The upward revision to overall GDP meant that for 2015 as a whole the economy grew 2.3%, faster than the previous estimate published last month of 2.2%. Echoing recent signs that wage growth has flattened off, the ONS reported that real household disposable income per head fell 0.4% from the third quarter. Spending per head grew 0.4% on the quarter, suggesting people are dipping into savings. GDP per head, which adjusts GDP for the size of the population, increased 0.4% on the quarter, below the GDP growth rate of 0.6% Kallum Pickering, senior UK economist at the bank Berenberg said the latest batch of economic news pointed to an increasingly unbalanced economy and a country that “continues to live well beyond its means”. “These growth patterns suggest that the UK recovery is being increasingly built on sand. Low savings make it hard for households and businesses to ride out volatility. Deficits to drive growth today come at the expense of growth tomorrow,” he said.

2016-03-31 13:00 Katie Allen www.theguardian.com

45 Flames-Ducks Sum First Period_1, Anaheim, Perry 32 (Getzlaf), :57. 2, Anaheim, Silfverberg 17 (Kesler, Cogliano), 4:00. 3, Anaheim, Pirri 14 (Horcoff, Fowler), 6:51. Second Period_4, Anaheim, McGinn 22 (Getzlaf, Stoner), :21. 5, Anaheim, Theodore 3 (Cogliano, Kesler), 5:30. 6, Calgary, Shinkaruk 1 (Giordano, Monahan), 13:47 (pp). 7, Anaheim, Thompson 1 (Garbutt, Santorelli), 14:06. 8, Calgary, Giordano 20 (Colborne, Engelland), 15:25. 9, Anaheim, Kesler 18 (Stewart), 18:47 (pp). 10, Calgary, Brodie 6 (D. Hamilton, Ferland), 19:46. Third Period_11, Anaheim, Silfverberg 18 (McGinn, Kesler), 13:08. Shots on Goal_Calgary 7-11-8_26. Anaheim 8-13-6_27. Goalies_Calgary, Hiller, Backstrom. Anaheim, Gibson, Andersen, Gibson. A_16,004 (17,174). T_2:32. Everything you need to get out and enjoy those beautiful blossoms: parking tips, event guides, FAQs, photos and more. Photos of the attempt on the president's life March 30, 1981

2016-03-31 12:56 The Associated wtop.com

46 Tata steel crisis: David Cameron says 'no guarantee of success' - live updates A spokeswoman at the European Commission has said contacts with the British government on the future of Port Talbot were ongoing. Europe’s state aid rules could prevent the UK from funding a large rescue package. Back in January, the Commission declared that member states cannot use taxpayers’ funds for “the rescue and restructuring of companies in difficulty in the steel sector”. Live in Port Talbot? Tell us how the Tata steel crisis affects you theguardian.com

Nationalisation not the answer to steel crisis, says David Cameron theguardian.com 2016-03-31 12:56 Graeme Wearden www.theguardian.com

47 Snapshot of Asian leaders attending nuclear summit in US WASHINGTON (AP) — A number of Asia-Pacific leaders are traveling to Washington for this week's nuclear security summit. They will be discussing how to stop terrorists from making an atomic explosive or dirty bomb, amid concern that the Islamic State group aspires to such a weapon. It is also a chance to discuss other issues and burnish their international standing. Here's a look at the presidents and prime ministers and what will be on their national agendas. Other governments from the region are sending lower-level officials. CHINA President Xi Jinping was in Washington just six months ago for a state visit. China has the world's fastest-growing civilian nuclear industry and is keen to showcase its efforts on nuclear security, an example of fruitful cooperation with the U. S. But there will be thorny issues on the agenda when Xi meets separately with President Barack Obama. They will discuss next steps with North Korea after the imposition of the toughest international sanctions yet over its nuclear and missile development, and the growing tensions in the South China Sea where Beijing's island-building is roiling its relations with Washington. INDIA Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power after a convincing election victory in 2014, strained U. S.-India relations have improved. The summit is an opportunity to build on that progress and signal that India, a nuclear weapons state which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is engaged on nuclear security as it expands its atomic energy sector. There's no prospect for reconciliatory talks with archrival Pakistan because its prime minister canceled his Washington trip because of a terrorist attack at home. JAPAN Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will participate in a summit with South Korea's leader and Obama. That's the latest chapter in a U. S.-supported effort to mend fences between its core Asian allies after a landmark December agreement aimed at reconciling over the Japanese military's use of sex slaves during World War II. They will discuss how to advance security cooperation and face the threat from common foe North Korea. While Japan is adamantly opposed to nuclear weapons, it could face concerns over its stockpile of separated plutonium from its energy program, still largely in shutdown following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. SINGAPORE As a close partner of the U. S., Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is a frequent visitor. He arrived early to meet with industry and financial sector leaders in New York. In Washington, he's also meeting with Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen. Singapore is a financial hub and will be watching closely as the Fed considers a hike in interest rates, which could have a significant impact on the world economy. SOUTH KOREA In addition to the U. S.- Japan-South Korea meeting, President Park Geun-hye is set to meet Xi, a sign of deepening ties with China as their economic bonds have grown, and as Beijing's alienation from its traditional ally North Korea has grown. Park's visit comes as threats from the North have reached a fever pitch in response to larger-than-usual, annual U. S.-South Korean military drills that the North regards as a preparation for invasion. THAILAND The nuclear summit is the second opportunity in six weeks for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to make an official visit to the U. S. after Obama met Southeast Asian leaders in California. A regular bilateral trip to Washington isn't in the cards. Prayuth took power in a 2014 coup, which led to a downgrading in ties between the U. S. and its oldest Asian ally, and it's unclear when civilian rule will return. Prayuth will, however, be hosted for dinner by U. S. business leaders. NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister John Key will meet with top U. S. economic officials, including Yellen and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and other issues. New Zealand is one of 12 participating countries and hosted the signing of the pact in February. The deal is the main economic plank of Obama's Asia policy, but uncertainty remains about whether Congress will ratify it.

2016-03-31 12:54 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

48 Mumbai: Faulty earthing fries appliances; residents rue damage of Rs 1 cr Eighty residents of the eight-storey Laxmi Krupa Society building in Andheri East ran for their lives on Wednesday as their household appliances got fried one after another in an electrical short circuit, which left the premises blanketed in smoke. Fazed residents of Laxmi Krupa Society in Andheri East count their losses as workers from the power company make arrangements for temporary repairs to the building’s earthing. Pics/Swarali Purohit Society chairman, Indrajit Parab, said within minutes of the short, all residents, including senior citizens from the eighth floor, rushed down the stairs and assembled in the compound. As the smoke cleared, they scurried around for answers. Jayesh Bhardwaj, a resident on the fifth floor, said the lights in his bathroom first started flickering. As stepped out, he found his set top box, his 52-inch TV set and the refrigerator spewing smoke. Narayan, a technician from the power company, blamed a damaged earthing for the short circuit. “This caused a normal 220 V circuit to double. The power overload affected household appliances.” The company immediately set about making temporary repairs to restore power. “We will look into the cause and location of the faulty earthing. It could have been resulted from rampant digging in some sensitive location,” said Narayan. The residents, however, were not convinced by the explanation. They said the fuse boxes, a safety measure against power overload installed in all individual homes, did not trip. Parab, whose TV set and laptop were also damaged, estimated the collective loss of property at over R1 crore. The building’s two elevators and wiring were not spared either. “Each home would have suffered a damage to property worth Rs 1 lakh. Clubbed with the damage to other common amenities like the lifts and the CCTV cameras, the loss is likely to be massive. The building is insured, but no one has taken individual insurance on household appliances.” Bhardwaj claimed a personal loss of appliances worth R1.40 lakh, exclusive of the cost of replacing the wiring in his flat. Residents questioned why they have to foot the bill for repairs themselves when the building’s earthing was at fault. Stay safe Install earth leakage circuit breakers in rooms. This procedure, which is simple and cheap, prevents shock and damage to household appliances. The device can detect small stray voltage fluctuations on the metal enclosures of electrical equipment and interrupts the circuit if they reach dangerous levels.

2016-03-31 12:46 By Shailesh www.mid-day.com

49 Cousins, Kings Deal Wizards Costly Defeat, 120-111 DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four blocks, and the Sacramento Kings dealt a blow to the Washington Wizards ' playoff hopes with a 120-111 victory on Wednesday night. The Wizards dropped their second straight and fourth in five games, falling 3 ½ games behind Indiana for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Bradley Beal scored 24 points and Otto Porter had 20 for the Wizards. John Wall contributed 14 points and 13 assists, and Markieff Morris had 13 points. Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi scored 15 points apiece for the Kings and Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 11 assists before he was ejected after getting a double technical in the closing seconds of the game. Darren Collison had 13 points and Kosta Koufos 12. The victory was the third straight at home for the Kings and gave them their first 30-win season in eight years. However, the Kings will miss the playoffs for a 10th straight season. Cousins got off to a great start in the opening quarter, scoring 11 points in seven minutes. He had been outplayed by Marcin Gortat in a loss earlier this season when the Washington center had a season-high 27 points and 16 rebounds. Cousins hit consecutive baskets to increase the Sacramento lead to 112-97 with a little over 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter. He also received his 16th technical of the season in the closing seconds, which will trigger an automatic suspension for Friday's game if it is upheld. Koufos scored seven straight points early in the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer by Ben McLemore put the Kings ahead 108-95 midway through the fourth. TIP-INS Wizards: Porter scored 13 points in the third quarter. Kings: The team announced earlier Wednesday it had signed Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac to a multiyear contract. Divac, 48, played 16 seasons in the NBA, including six with the Kings. ... Fouled along the baseline, Cousins tossed up a high-arching shot from behind the basket that went in. He hit the free throw for a three-point play in the second quarter. ... Seth Curry started his fourth straight game and had five points. He had averaged 15.7 games in his previous three starts. UP NEXT Wizards: At Phoenix on Friday. Kings: Host Miami on Friday.

2016-03-31 12:45 By abcnews.go.com

50 Lion shot dead in Kenya after attacking man A lion was shot dead by park rangers in Kenya on Wednesday after it escaped from the Amboseli National park and injured a man in Kaijado. Pic/ AFP The lion named Mohawk was gunned down by the Kenya Wildlife Service after it attacked a man after escaping Nairobi National Park. It is the fourth time this year that lions have roamed outside Nairobi National Park and the second time someone has been injured by a lion in less than two weeks.

2016-03-31 12:40 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

51 McDonald's adding 1,500 outlets in China, S. Korea, Hong Kong BEIJING (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Thursday it plans to open 1,500 new restaurants in China, South Korea and Hong Kong as it looks to faster-growing markets to help drive a global turnaround. McDonald's said it is looking for partners to help finance that expansion. The company said it also will give local managers more decision-making power to respond to Asian customers. McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, is overhauling its business under CEO Steve Easterbrook after acknowledging it failed to keep up with changing tastes. The total number of global diners visiting its restaurants fell last year. "Asia represents a significant area of opportunity for McDonald's to blend our global quality standards with local insights and expertise from partners who share our vision and values," Easterbrook said in a statement. "These actions build on our turnaround efforts and will advance local ownership, enable faster decision- making and achieve restaurant growth. " McDonald's currently has 2,800 restaurants in China, South Korea and Hong Kong, most of them owned by the company instead of franchisees. The company deems those "high-growth markets," which it says have stronger expansion and franchising potential. The company previously announced plans to identify strategic partners in two other Asian markets, Taiwan and Japan. McDonald's says it plans to turn over more company-owned outlets to local owners, with a long-term goal of making 95 percent owned by franchisees. The company reported earlier that sales worldwide rose 5 percent at established locations in the final quarter of 2015. In the high-growth markets unit, sales climbed 3 percent. U. S. sales rose 5.7 percent and those in Britain and Canada rose 4.2 percent.

2016-03-31 12:35 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

52 52 Sarcastic clap earns Cousins 16th T, suspension The Sacramento Kings clinched their first 30-win season in eight years on Wednesday, but in continuing what has been a strange season for the team, the final seconds of the victory were clouded in controversy and tarnished by technical fouls. DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo each received technical fouls for sarcastically clapping at an official's call in the waning moments of a 120-111 win over the Washington Wizards . For Cousins, it was his 16th technical foul of the season and will automatically garner him a one- game suspension. The sarcastic claps occurred after the Kings were called for a five-second violation with 6.7 seconds remaining in the game and the Kings up by 14 points. Rondo, who was called for the violation, drew a double technical at the same time and was ejected. "They said it was a violation and we clapped," Cousins said in a postgame courtside TV interview. "I guess they didn't like that. " Later, in the Kings locker room, Cousins said, "It's kind of unfortunate that it happened. I really don't know what to say about it. If I say something I'll get punished, and if I don't say something I'll get punished. I really don't know what the answer is anymore. I'm highly disappointed in what just happened. " If Cousins' technical foul is upheld, the Kings would be without him for Friday night's home game against the Miami Heat. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

2016-03-31 12:26 Ramona Shelburne espn.go.com

53 Commission: Will license Broner, he'll turn self in The DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission told ESPN.com that it plans to license junior welterweight titleholder Adrien Broner at Thursday's weigh-in after receiving assurances in writing from Broner's camp and authorities in Ohio that he will turn himself in in the days after Friday's fight. Broner (31-2, 23 KOs) is scheduled to make his first title defense against Ashley Theophane (39- 6-1, 11 KOs) in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card Friday night (Spike, 9 p.m. ET) at the DC Armory in Washington, D. C. Broner will do so while facing felony assault and aggravated robbery charges in his hometown of Cincinnati in connection with an incident during the early-morning hours of Jan. 21. Broner is accused of assaulting a man and robbing him of $12,000 at gunpoint outside of a bowling alley. Broner, 26, allegedly lost the money to the man during a night of high-stakes betting on bowling games, knocked him unconscious outside the bowling alley after a confrontation, and took the money. Despite receiving heavy criticism for agreeing to allow Broner to fight with two outstanding arrest warrants in connection with a violent crime, the Washington commission, a three-person panel appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council, said it worked through the Easter weekend to get written assurances from Broner's camp and Ohio authorities that he would turn himself in after the fight. "On March 25, 2016 the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission was made aware of an arrest warrant issued by the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, for Adrien Broner, who is scheduled to participate in an upcoming boxing event scheduled on April 1 at the DC Armory," the commission told ESPN.com in a statement Wednesday night. "Due to the nature and seriousness of this matter, the commission contacted Mr. Broner's representatives, expressed the severity of our concerns, and began an investigation to gather information on the status of this situation and to determine if Mr. Broner would be issued a license to fight on April 1. "Based upon the facts provided by Mr. Broner's representatives, which were subsequently verified by the Municipal Court of Hamilton County, as well as the Hamilton County prosecutor's office, the commission is satisfied that Mr. Broner has reached an agreement with the appropriate law enforcement and judicial authorities that does not restrict him from traveling to or participating in the fight on April 1, and through which he will address this serious legal matter. Barring any changes in these facts, and assuming no additional issues arise, the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission has no plans to withhold a license for Mr. Broner to fight on April 1. " The warrants Broner is wanted on were issued only for Ohio and not nationally, meaning Washington police are under no obligation to arrest him and return him to Ohio, the commission said. Once Broner turns himself in under the schedule his representatives have arranged, he will be freed on a $100,000 bond and await trial, or perhaps work out a plea agreement. Broner declined to discuss the specifics of his case on Wednesday during the final news conference for the fight, but he did address the situation in general terms when meeting with reporters following the formal proceedings. "Anything is tough when you have a lot of things coming your way," Broner said. "I have tunnel vision. It's fight time. I'm locked in until I get the job done. Right now I have to focus on this fight. I'm keeping my mind in the right state. I'm not just doing this for me. It's for my family. It's bigger than just me. "

2016-03-31 12:25 Dan Rafael espn.go.com

54 Plan to kill journalist: Mumbai court acquits three The Mumbai Sessions court on Wednesday acquitted three accused who hatched a plan to kill a leading English daily’s journalist after he referred to the gangster as 'chindi chor' (small fry) in his news report. Special court judge A L Pansare acquitted the accused Madanchand Govind Sonkar alias Raju Francis (28), Ashutosh Verma (23), Rambahadur Chavan (28) and discharged the fourth accused Abdul Shaikh (48), who turned approver in the case. Chavan’s lawyer, Jagdish Shetty, said that the office of the journalist had seven gates; the prosecution could not explain why the accused were standing between gate number two and three gates. The accused had no information on reporter’s movement. The approver’s statement was not considered; it was exculpatory (Exculpatory evidence is evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial that exonerates or tends to exonerate the defendant of guilt), as he had not shown his role in the crime. The approver did not provide court with the details of the role of the crime. Hence, his evidence was disbelieved. Prosecution examined around 30 witnesses. The prosecution’s case was that three members of the Ravi Pujari gang were given a supari by the gangster to kill a journalist of a leading English daily because he referred the gangster as ‘chindi chor’ (small fry) in his news report. Cops stumbled upon Pujari’s plan while tapping his phone. They observed that, in the recent past, the gangster had made the maximum number of calls to a certain number in Nalasapora. Cops, after investigation, found that the number belonged to Sonkar. After interrogating Sonkar, they learnt that Pujari had paid him Rs 1.25 lakh to distribute it to two other men, Verma, and Chavan, both residents of Nalasapora, to kill the journalist. The cops later picked up Verma and Chavan from Marine Drive on September 6. Police had recovered a country-made pistol, five cartridges and 11 SIM cards from the accused. They had also hired a four-wheeler to track the journalist’s movements. Cops also recovered the scribe’s photograph and a map of his Nariman Point office.

2016-03-31 12:19 By Sailee www.mid-day.com

55 Russian sappers arrive in Syria to clear mines in Palmyra MOSCOW (AP) — Russian combat engineers arrived Thursday in Syria on a mission to clear mines in the ancient town of Palmyra, the military said. The Defense Ministry said the sapper units were airlifted to Syria with an array of equipment, including state-of-the art robotic devices, to defuse mines at the 2,000-year-old archaeological site. Russian television stations showed Il-76 transport planes carrying the engineers landing before dawn at the Russian air base in Syria. Sunday's recapture of Palmyra by Syrian troops under the cover of Russian airstrikes was an important victory over Islamic State extremists who operated a 10-month reign of terror there. Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the military's General Staff said that Russian military advisers had helped plan and direct the Syrian army's operation to recapture Palmyra. He said Russian warplanes had conducted about 500 sorties from March 7 to March 27, striking 2,000 targets around Palmyra, including artillery positions and fortifications. The Russian jets also hit IS militants as they tried to flee toward the group's strongholds of Raqqa and Deir el-Zour, he added. Russian television stations showed reports about Alexander Prokhorenko, a Russian military officer who helped direct Russian airstrikes around Palmyra. He died when he was surrounded by IS militants and drew fire on himself. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial drawdown of Russian warplanes from Syria earlier this month, but he has vowed to continue fighting the IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. A Russian- and U. S.- brokered cease-fire in Syria that began on Feb. 27 has largely held, but Islamic State militants and the Nusra Front have been excluded from it. Rudskoi emphasized that the Russian jets used precision weapons to avoid any damage to Palmyra's archaeological treasures. During the fighting around Palmyra, the Russian military tested its latest helicopter gunship, the Mi-28, for the first time in combat. The helicopters have recently joined the Russian forces in Syria. Rudskoi said the seizure of Palmyra has a major strategic importance due to its location at the junction of major highways. "The restoration of the Syrian army's control over Palmyra will make it significantly more difficult for the bandit groups to regroup and move their resources between Syria's northern and southern regions, and it will also significantly weaken their capability around Damascus and Aleppo," he said. "The loss of control over the areas rich in natural resources will also affect the terrorists' economic and financial potential and reduce their ability to buy weapons, ammunition and materials and pay the militants. " Rudskoi said Russian sapper teams will now have to search more than 180 hectares (445 acres) of both historic and residential areas in Palmyra for mines. He added the job is even more difficult because, along with standard military mines, the area is littered with a large number of booby traps and other self-made explosive devices. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday urged other nations to join the effort of clearing Palmyra from mines. ___ Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report.

2016-03-31 12:12 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

56 Mumbai: Deonar's CCTV cam stolen amid high-security claims While there is speculation that someone might have deliberately caused the massive January Deonar fire, one of the 12 CCTV cameras installed at the dump yard for security was stolen and nobody reported the matter to the police. Another camera was installed there by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which claims to have increased security at the ground. Also Read: Deonar dumping ground fire: Mumbai top cop assures help to BMC chief The Deonar dumping ground has seen multiple fires since the beginning of this year. File pic After the fire in January, the CM had directed the BMC to set up 10 CCTV cameras at the Deonar dumping ground, but the civic body decided to add two more and installed 12, instead. It also plans to put 40 night vision cameras that cost Rs 2.5 lakh each. “Recently, there was a small power failure at the dumping ground. After it was back, we realised that feed from one camera was not coming. The workers went to check and found that one camera was missing,” said an official from BMC’s solid waste management department. Read Story: Mumbai: BMC zeroes in on pond for future fire outbreak at Deonar dumpyard When asked why a police complaint was not filed, he said in the past, when such an incident had happened under the contractor’s tenure, they had a bad experience with the police. The power failure at night may have given the thieves a window to steal it as otherwise, 150 security guards work there in three shifts, he added. However, deputy chief security officer Chandrakant Jadhav said he doesn’t know about any such theft. Other senior officials from both the departments were unavailable for comment.

2016-03-31 12:09 By Tanvi www.mid-day.com

57 Oscar Pistorius to be sentenced for murder in June Former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius will face sentencing for murder in June. The 29-year-old faces a lengthy prison term after a South African appeals court overturned an earlier conviction of manslaughter and found him guilty of murder for his shooting of Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013. The South African double amputee sprinter's agent, Peet van Zyl, told Press Association Sport on Wednesday he expects sentencing to be from June 13-17. Pistorius insisted he thought his girlfriend was an intruder behind a toilet door in his home and was initially found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter. However, that verdict was upgraded by South Africa's Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein in December. A 15-year prison sentence is the minimum punishment for murder in South Africa. However, the law allows for a lesser sentence to be imposed in exceptional circumstances and the time already served by Pistorius will likely be taken into a ccount. The 'Blade Runner' was released in October 2015 after serving less than a year of his original five-year sentence , with the remainder to be completed under house arrest.

2016-03-31 11:50 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

58 FBI arrests man for wanting to practice yoga, meditate on airplane Honolulu: A Japan-bound airplane returned to Hawaii because of a violent passenger who wanted to do yoga instead of sit in his seat, the FBI said. The pilot of the March 26 United Airlines flight from Honolulu International Airport to Narita International Airport turned the plane around after hearing that Hyongtae Pae was yelling at crew members and shoving his wife, the FBI said in a criminal complaint. Representational picture Pae told the FBI he didn't want to sit in his seat during the meal service, so he went to the back of the plane to do yoga and meditate. He became angry when his wife and flight attendants told him to return to his seat. "Pae pushed his wife because she was trying to make him stop," the complaint said. "He felt that she was siding with the flight crew. " He tried to head-butt and bite Marines who were passengers on the flight and tried to force him back to his seat, Assistant US Attorney Darren Ching said at Pae's detention hearing today. According to the complaint, he threatened to kill passengers and was yelling that there is no god. Pae went into a rage because he felt the flight crew was ordering him around, Ching said. Ching said Pae shouldn't be released because he's a danger to his wife, himself and others. Pae urinated on himself and was on suicide watch at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center, Ching said. US Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang ordered that Pae be released on USD 25,000 bond, but with certain conditions including not leaving the island of Oahu and undergoing a mental health evaluation. Since the arrest, Pae's wife has been staying at the Waikiki Gateway Hotel, defense attorney Jin Tae "JT" Kim told the judge, who asked whether Pae had financial resources to continue staying there after his release. Kim said he's working with the consulate to transfer more money to Pae's wife and find alternate, temporary housing. Chang denied Kim's request to allow Pae to return home to Korea, because that would involve getting on a plane again. Outside of court, Kim said his client is a 72-year-old retired farmer who traveled from South Korea to celebrate his 40th wedding anniversary with a Hawaii vacation. It was the couple's first trip to Hawaii. Pae only recently took up yoga to help with anxiety, Kim said, adding that he was sleep-deprived during the vacation. Pae told the FBI he hadn't been able to sleep in 11 days.

2016-03-31 11:48 By AP www.mid-day.com

59 Colombia ELN: Government and rebels to hold peace talks Colombia has announced it is starting formal peace talks with the country's second largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN). Government and ELN negotiators made the announcement in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, where the two sides have been holding informal talks. The two sides have been engaged in a five- decade-long conflict. The announcement came as the government is nearing a final peace deal with Colombia's largest rebel group, Farc. A joint statement was read by the former peace commissioner Frank Pearl and ELN rebel Antonio Garcia at the Venezuelan foreign ministry in Caracas. The two sides said they had agreed on a six-point agenda for the formal peace talks which will start in the Ecuadorean capital, Quito. However, the venue of the talks is likely to move to Brazil and Chile, among other places. It was suggested that the negotiations between the government and the ELN stalled because the two sides could not agree on the place where the dialogue should take place. Finally, they ended up with a complex agreement involving six countries. That will certainly complicate the logistics of the negotiations and may end up causing delays. But it seems that it was the only way of driving forward the peace process with the second largest guerrilla group in Colombia. The issues to be discussed include how the rebels will lay down their arms and how they can take part in Colombian politics once a peace deal has been reached. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos welcomed the announcement, saying the ELN rebels "could and should play a part in the creation of peace" in Colombia. "From the start of my time in office I have said that we have to put an end to this conflict, and if the ELN joins in with these efforts, then we'll have a more stable and lasting peace, which is what all Colombians want," he said in an address on national TV. An estimated 220,000 people have died in Colombia in violence between the security forces, left-wing rebels and right-wing paramilitary groups since the conflict began in 1964. Who are the ELN rebels? The ELN and the government have been holding exploratory talks for more than two years in Ecuador, Brazil and Venezuela. However, a number of ELN attacks and kidnappings have until now thwarted progress. At the beginning of February, the head of the Colombian government delegation, Frank Pearl, warned the rebel group that "their time to reach a political solution to the armed conflict in Colombia is running out". In the past weeks, the ELN released two of the hostages it was holding, paving the way for the announcement. The ELN was founded in 1964 and inspired by the Cuban revolution of 1959. One of its key leaders was the Jesuit priest Camilo Torres. Since 1998, the ELN has been led by Nicolas Rodriguez Bautista, better known by his alias, Gabino. Some of the most violent attacks by the ELN happened in the late 1990s. In October 1998, 84 people were killed when the ELN blew up an oil pipeline in Antioquia province. The group has also kidnapped and ambushed members of the security forces and local businessmen. Last year, 11 soldiers and a policeman were killed in an ambush as they were transporting ballot boxes following local elections.

2016-03-31 08:06 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

60 Central African Republic abuse: UN looks into 'bestiality' report UN officials say they are investigating "extremely troubling" claims of sexual abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR). Last year, there were 69 allegations of child rape and other sexual offences by peacekeepers from 10 missions. One advocacy group says it has passed on new reports to the UN that a soldier made four girls have sex with a dog. The UN said it was looking into the "exact number and nature" of the claims. Living under a shadow of fear Road to anarchy The new reports of abuse were made by the Code Blue campaign run by the advocacy group Aids-free World. The group says the abuse was reported to have happened between 2013 and this week. It says the bestiality claims, dating back to 2014, involved a commander with French forces. The girls, one of whom later died of an unknown disease, were each paid 5,000 Central African francs ($8.60; £6), the report says. Other allegations centre on troops from France, Gabon, the CAR and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Forces were deployed in 2014 to help restore order in CAR after the president was overthrown the previous year and sectarian violence gripped the country. A UN statement on Wednesday said the allegations involved some of its staff , as well as non- UN peacekeepers. Teams were now on the ground investigating the reports, it said, while alleged victims will receive counselling and medical help. Earlier this month, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the repatriation of peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse. Last August, the UN envoy to Central African Republic (CAR), Babacar Gaye, was sacked amid multiple allegations of sexual abuse by peacekeepers. An independent panel called the UN response to the allegations "seriously flawed" and a "gross institutional failure". It accused senior UN officials of abusing their authority by failing to take action over allegations of abuse by soldiers from France, Equatorial Guinea and Chad.

2016-03-31 08:06 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

61 Andrew Gale tips Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance for England Test recall Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale expects team- mate Gary Ballance to be recalled to the England Test team this summer. Ballance was dropped during last year's Ashes series against Australia and did not feature over the winter despite being a member of the squad in South Africa. But, skipper Alastair Cook aside, England are still short of reliable performers in the top three and Gale believes Ballance should soon come back into the reckoning. The 26-year-old, who has played 15 Tests, underlined his credentials with a century for the county champions in last week's traditional season-opener against the MCC in Abu Dhabi. Gale said: "He looks a million dollars if I'm being honest. He looks back to the old Gary. "He has got that selfish hunger for runs back and that stubbornness about his batting. If he keeps going like he has in the last few weeks he is going to get a lot of runs. The flipside of that is he is going to get a call-up at some stage. "I know he says England is right at the back of his mind and doesn't want to think about it. He just wants to start the season well and play good cricket for Yorkshire. "But I think England have probably got a decision to make for that first Test - whether they go with (Alex) Hales and (Nick) Compton again or whether they pick one of them and get Gary back in. That's a possibility. " Gale was speaking at the official launch of the new domestic season at Old Trafford. His side are bidding for a third successive Specsavers County Championship title this year but the 32-year-old expects the challenge to be the toughest yet. Gale said: "I believe it is the strongest division I have seen for a long time. You usually get a team who have scraped up or have a team whose aim is to stay in the First Division, but with teams like Surrey and Lancashire coming up, they are probably aiming to win the County Championship. "You could go through every team and say if they get out of the blocks well they could win it. "

2016-03-31 11:34 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

62 America’s next sexual frontier: The “nipplegasm” Topics: AlterNet , Sex , nipples , Orgasm , Nipplegasm They can be flicked, kissed and sucked; pierced or painted. You keep them close, but often covered. Though their appearance may change, they almost always show up in the same place. They’re your nipples, and apparently, they want in on your orgasm. The nipple-assisted orgasm, or nipplegasm, refers to an orgasm delivered by nipple stimulation alone. Of course, not everyone has encountered that kind of pleasure. Sexologist Carol Queen suspects those who have are likely armed with two specific skills: the ability to get very aroused and the willingness to explore sex as a full body practice. Queen reminds us, “Not everybody relates to sex that way… People who have intercourse for a few minutes and then roll over and go to sleep are often going to miss out on this aspect of the sexual journey.” So no, not everyone is interested in the nipplegasm. But are we all outfitted with the same potential to dive into orgasm, nipple first? When Barry Komisaruk, a psychologist at Rutgers University, paid 11 women $100 each to sit in a brain-scanning machine and diddle themselves for science, he wasn’t surprised to see a correlative reaction taking place in the brain. When the genitals are stimulated, an area known as the genital sensory cortex lights up. But he was surprised to see the spot responding to nipple stimulation as well. “This could be the basis for many women saying that nipple stimulation is erotogenic,” he told LiveScience . “It stimulates the same area as the genitals.” Komisaruk’s experiment isn’t the only instance we’ve seen nipples and orgasm collide. “One reason we know that nipple stimulation can lead to orgasm is that there are cases of women who’ve had the experience while breastfeeding ,” says Queen. She adds, “It is a neurological reflex that some women seem prone to.” According to a study conducted by Herbert Otto, 29 percent of women report having experienced a “breast orgasm” at least once in their life. Otto goes so far to say the nipplegasm is the second most common form of orgasm among women. While we’re rolling with the science, it’s worth noting that a separate study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that in comparison to the other erogenous zones on a woman’s body, the nipples are among the most sensitive to pressure and vibration.

2016-03-31 10:24 Carrie Weisman salon.com.feedsportal.com

63 “World’s biggest bribe scandal”: Report on oil corruption exposes how corporations help destabilize Middle East Topics: Middle East , Iraq , Libya , Syria , kuwait , Unaoil , Corruption , Oil , News , Politics News Unaoil is the most important company you’ve never heard of. It is at the heart of an enormous international bribery scandal, involving some of the world’s most powerful corporations. According to an explosive new investigation, the company thrives on corruption, fueling inequality and helping destabilize natural resource-rich conflict areas in the Global South. The interactive report “ The Bribe Factory ” details how Unaoil exploits the widespread corruption in many oil-rich nations, based on company documents obtained by the Huffington Post and its Australian partner Fairfax Media. The little-known firm portrays itself as a lobbyist and convinces Western corporations that they will not be able to get contracts without its help. After charging multinationals multi-million dollar fees, Unaoil bribes government officials in oil-rich countries in order to get good deals for these companies. Some of the corporations involved in this multi-billion dollar scheme were aware that they were participating in bribery, but looked the other way. By presenting itself as a verified middleman, Unaoil ensures “plausible deniability” for the companies. Unaoil, which is based in Monaco, the tiny country on the southeastern edge of France, is run by the wealthy Ahsani family. A pantheon of powerful multinationals are implicated in the bribery scandal, including weapons corporations like Halliburton and its former subsidiary KBR, along with technology firms like Samsung and even car companies like Rolls-Royce and Hyundai. It also involves a slew of lesser known but influential corporations based in the U. S., the U. K., Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea and Spain. American and British bankers are additionally part of this web of money laundering, and the Ahsanis operate a property investment business in London. These findings are the result of a six-month investigation conducted by reporters at the Huffington Post and Fairfax Media, who were leaked hundreds of thousands of leaked emails and documents from the Ahsanis. The media outlets are releasing their findings in three parts — one on the Middle East, another on the former Soviet Union and the final on Asia and Africa. Unaoil and its subsidiaries have operated in a vast array of conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa (Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iran, Tunisia, the UAE and Algeria), the former Soviet Union (Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan) and sub-Sarahan Africa (the Congo, South Africa, Cameroon and Angola). The Ahsani family denied to reporters that it is engaging in illegal behavior like bribery, but its own emails show otherwise. Unaoil has “almost perfected the art of corruption,” the reporters write. “The trove reveals how they rub shoulders with royalty, party in style, mock anti-corruption agencies and operate a secret network of fixers and middlemen throughout the world’s oil producing nations.” For almost a decade, Unaoil has been certified by an anti-corruption agency, which “raises serious questions about the worth of such international accreditation,” the reporters note.

2016-03-31 10:23 Ben Norton salon.com.feedsportal.com

64 Shorten: Labor won't change discrimination laws to please gay marriage opponents Labor will oppose any attempt to extend discrimination law exemptions to allow people who object to same-sex marriage to deny goods and services to gay couples. Opposition leader Bill Shorten made the pledge at Guardian Australia’s marriage equality event Why Knot in Sydney on Thursday. Responding to a questioner who asked him to rule out allowing bakers not to sell cakes to gay weddings, Shorten said Labor would oppose such discrimination law exemptions and repeal them at the earliest available opportunity if they passed. “It’s not allowed now under the current law – why would we water down existing laws? We don’t need to water down anti-discrimination law to keep some people [who oppose same-sex marriage] happy.” According to reports attorney general George Brandis planned to finalise details for the plebiscite in March , including details of exemptions to anti-discrimination law and public funding. But due to division in the party room, plans to finalise details of the plebiscite were shelved , raising the prospect that voters will not know whether the plebiscite would change discrimination law when they vote at the federal election. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he married his wife Lucy as a public expression of love and commitment to their friends, family and society. “That’s being denied to people because the community says if you’re straight, your love is something we should celebrate; if you’re not straight, the love for your partner is different, [and without marriage] considered not as strong, less important. That’s effectively prejudice.” Shorten said “there are enough progressive Liberals, Greens and Labor MPs that we could have marriage equality before the election if it were put to a free vote”. Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome warned a same-sex marriage plebiscite would be expensive and divisive. “People with deep prejudice and hatred given the biggest megaphone they’ve ever had,” he said. Marriage equality could return to parliament as early as 18 April, with Labor suggesting since parliament has been recalled it should debate the issue . Di Natale backed the move: “That’s a possibility – we need to put as much pressure on [prime minister Malcolm] Turnbull for a conscience vote as possible.” Shorten reiterated Labor’s pledge that, if elected, it would hold a parliamentary vote on same- sex marriage in parliament within 100 days of the next election. “We need to campaign at next election for candidates who will vote for marriage equality. If you want to have marriage equality you need to change the government.” Labor MPs will be allowed a free vote on same-sex marriage, but the party’s policy will bind MPs to vote in favour if the issue is still being debated in two terms’ time. Turnbull supports marriage equality and opposed holding a plebiscite when the then prime minister, Tony Abbott, suggested one at a joint party room meeting in August last year . But since becoming prime minister in September, Turnbull has maintained plans for a plebiscite . The Greens party room is unanimously in favour of same-sex marriage. But the party’s pledge to support it “every vote, every time” came under strain when the Greens voted against debating same-sex marriage in the Senate in March , labelling it a stunt to derail Senate reform.

2016-03-31 11:29 Paul Karp www.theguardian.com

65 Tool analyses messages and tells you how rude they are If you've ever accidentally offended someone with a rude email, or misjudged the tone of a conversation, a new online tool might save any future hassle. FoxType, a web app and Gmail extension, aims to help you 'write in a more polite, friendly tone'. Similar to how spellcheck works, this software checks common phrases for warning signs that you are being passive aggressive, obtuse, or just plain nasty. Analyse your writing using FoxType below. Mobile users can use the tool on the website It works as an extension for Gmail, but the easiest way to use FoxType's politeness tool is to type out your message, then paste it into the box on the website. It will then run an analysis of your email based on its algorithms and database on phrases. In particular, it searches for key phrases or types of words that suggest the tone of the email is polite or impolite. For example, referring to the reader as 'you' and asking questions is considered impolite. But using positive language and phrases like 'thank you', 'we' and 'us' makes the text more polite. The best way to use the tool is to scan the suggestions and then craft a response of your own from the ideas. The site's welcome message of 'Hello, visitor! Welcome to FoxType :)' is 85% polite. When searching for FoxType and clicking on the Google link to the politeness tool, however, a rather more inappropriate sentence is added by default. The politeness tool isn't always smart and doesn't always make sense. When tested on sections of presidential campaign speeches and interviews, it reveals how rude or polite the candidates have been. Sections of Donald Trump's speech in July last year, announcing he will be running for President, turned out to be quite polite when analysed by the extension. Parts of his speech referring to the US national debt and competition with Japan and Mexico came out as generally polite, with scores of 66 and 62 per cent. But his comments about the military in China were considered impolite, with a score of 24 per cent. A quote from Hilary Clinton's latest speech in New York on Wednesday was given a polite score of 75 per cent. 'This is a city that likes to get things done. And that's what we want from our president too.' Bernie Sanders was very polite after the Iowa caucus. The first part of his speech before the results were in, scored 74 per cent and an overall rating of 'polite'. There is a Google Chrome extension that self-conscious message writers can download for a free trial.

2016-03-31 11:27 Abigail Beall www.dailymail.co.uk

66 10 Things to Know for Today - 31 March 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHO'S UNDER FIRE ON ABORTION Donald Trump is fighting to convince a skeptical Republican Party he can improve his standing among women, even as he takes back an explosive comment about abortion and attacks the credibility of a female reporter. 2. WHERE US DOLLARS MIGHT SOON START FLOWING Officials say the U. S. may soon tell foreign governments and banks they can start using dollars in some instances to facilitate business with Iran — a change that could prove significant for Tehran's sanctions-battered economy. 3. AP UNVEILS HOW KENYAN RUNNERS' DOPING WENT UNDETECTED AT SMALLER US RACES An AP Exclusive on a probe by the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency and the IAAF into Kenya's offshore running industry is zeroing in on a Russian agent with a string of doping positives and associations in her Kentucky camp. 4. WHY ASIAN DIPLOMACY IS ON THE SIDELINES OF A NUCLEAR SUMMIT As Asian leaders converge on Washington, tensions in North Korea and the South China Sea are running high, and side meetings on those hot-button issues could attract more attention than the summit itself. 5. SYRIANS RUSH TO RESCUE HISTORY Syrians have risked their lives in a successful effort to save antiquities threatened by Islamic State militants. 6. INDIA'S SMOG LEAVES A GOLDEN TEMPLE LOSING ITS LUSTER The chronic air pollution blanketing much of northern India is now threatening the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion, making the once-gleaming walls of the Golden Temple dingy and dull. 7. A LONG WAIT FOR ANSWERS IN MINNESOTA ENDS WITH MORE QUESTIONS Activists from the black community in Minneapolis express frustration and distrust after a prosecutor clears two white police officers in the fatal shooting of a black man during a confrontation. 8. WHAT'S AN ICE WALL AND HOW WILL IT WORK The destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant's operator activated a costly last resort to try to stem the underground flow of radioactive water from the plant. Use of one so huge is untested. 9. MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT SEEN ON TV HEADS TO TRIAL In the attempted murder-for-hire case against Dalia Dippolito, her defense says police overreached for "Cops" TV, which aired a special edition about the allegedly murderous newlywed. 10. HOW THE FINAL FOUR GOT THERE March Madness lived up to its billing, filled with upsets, crazy finishes and memorable performances. Now that the calendar has turned to April, it's time for the main event: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Villanova and Syracuse in the Final Four.

2016-03-31 11:25 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

67 Ban on 'legal highs' delayed until at least May A blanket ban on "legal highs" has been delayed until May. The Psychoactive Substances Act was expected to come into force from next Wednesday. However, the Government now expects the legislation to be implemented "in the spring". Parliament will be given at least 21 days' notice before it starts, and given that Parliament is in recess until April 11, May 1 is the earliest possible date for the law to come into force. In a written answer issued last week, Home Office Minister Karen Bradley said: "We expect to commence the Psychoactive Substances Act in its entirety in the spring. "We need to ensure the readiness of all the activity necessary to enable the smooth implementation of the legislation across the UK and to support law enforcement in their ability to drive forward the legislation on commencement. " The Act will bring in a blanket ban on the production, distribution, sale and supply of "designer drugs", with sellers facing up to seven years in prison. Last week it was confirmed that poppers will not be banned in the crackdown. The Home Office said that while April 6 was the first date on which the legislation could be "commenced" or started, it was always subject to consideration of all the moves necessary across the UK for the provisions to come into force. A spokesman for the department said: "In line with the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, the Government is in the final stages of putting in place a programme of testing to demonstrate a substance's psychoactivity prior to commencement of the Act. "

2016-03-31 11:23 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

68 Leicester stars earn growing recognition during title charge MANCHESTER, England (AP) — There have been considerable knock-on effects for Leicester following the team's giddy rise to the top of the English Premier League. A ramping-up of global interest and adulation? Definitely. Qualification to the Champions League for the first time? Almost certainly, especially if the surprise leader beats Southampton at home on Sunday. Then there's growing international recognition for its star players. On Tuesday, England started with two Leicester players — in this case, Jamie Vardy and debutant Danny Drinkwater — for the first time in 42 years in the 2-1 loss to the Netherlands. And on the same night, N'Golo Kante, Leicester's enforcer in central midfield, made his full debut for France on his 25th birthday and marked it by scoring one of the goals in a 4-2 win over Russia. "Things are going fast," said Kante, who was playing for Caen in France's second tier only three years ago. "I wouldn't have said it was possible four or five years ago," said Vardy, a goal-scorer against the Dutch and a striker who once worked in a carbon-fiber factory. Leicester's fans will be saying the same kind of things. After narrowly escaping relegation last season because of an incredible run of results in the final nine games, Leicester is mounting the most unlikely of title challenges and is five points clear of second-place Tottenham with seven games left. The club has never won a top- flight English league title. Training would have been unusually quiet for Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri over the recent international break, given the increased number of national-team call-ups. Ranieri, therefore, must reignite the team's momentum from before the two-week hiatus ahead of the biggest six weeks in the club's 132-year history. Southampton could be one of the toughest remaining opponents for Leicester, with the visitors from the south coast having won their last two games to climb within four points of the Champions League places. But Leicester is showing remarkable resilience under pressure, winning its last three matches 1-0. "They've been the best team this season, without question," Alex Ferguson, a managerial great in English soccer, has told Sky Sports, "and they deserve to win it. " Tottenham would pile the pressure on Leicester by beating Liverpool on Saturday, a day before Leicester plays. Here are other things to watch out for this weekend: ___ MAN CITY'S REINFORCEMENTS In danger of dropping out of the top four, out-of-form Manchester City has been handed a much-needed boost on the injury front. Three midfielders — Samir Nasri, Kevin De Bruyne and Fabian Delph — were back in training this week after long injury lay-offs and could be in line to play against Bournemouth on Saturday. De Bruyne's return after two months out with damaged ankle and knee ligaments is especially important for City, which hasn't scored in its last three matches and has been short of creativity. City broke its transfer record last August to sign De Bruyne for more than 50 million pounds (then $77 million). City is in fourth place — the final Champions League qualification position — and only one point ahead of West Ham and Manchester United. West Ham hosts Crystal Palace on Saturday, and Manchester United is at home to Everton on Sunday. ___ MANAGERLESS VILLA Last-place Aston Villa is heading into its home match against Chelsea without a manager following the departure of Remi Garde on Tuesday. With seven games left, Villa is 12 points from safety and has only won three league games all season. Former Leicester manager Nigel Peasron has been linked with the vacancy, as has ex-Man United manager David Moyes. ___ CHARLTON TRIBUTE Manchester United great Bobby Charlton will be honored for his contribution to the club by having a stand at Old Trafford named after him on Sunday, ahead of United's game against Everton. The South Stand — the side of the stadium where the dugouts and changing rooms are located — will be renamed the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand at a ceremony. It will mark 60 years after Charlton made his debut for United. The 78- year-old Charlton was an attacking midfielder who played 758 games for United and scored 249 goals, still a club record.

2016-03-31 11:19 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

69 The Times & The Sunday Times Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 With analysis from Henry Winter, Mike Atherton and Stuart Barnes. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 From the FTSE 100 to SMEs to entrepreneurs. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12.

2016-03-31 04:05 www.thetimes.co.uk

70 ID network doing docu-series based on Ohio case NEW YORK (AP) — Conscious of the success of long-form crime mysteries like "Serial" on NPR and HBO's "The Jinx," the Investigation Discovery network says it will air its first-ever serialized drama later this spring. The six-part docu-series, "The Vanishing Women," will focus on six women who have gone missing or have been found dead in Chillicothe, Ohio, over the past few years. It will debut June 6, ID announced Thursday. ID's focus on crime and mystery stories made the network a nearly instant success upon its launch in 2008, particularly among older women. Lately the HBO and NPR projects, as well as Netflix's "Making a Murderer," have attracted followers to the genre with innovative storytelling techniques. "All of this has shone a klieg light on the world of mystery and suspense and true stories and crime," said Henry Schleiff, network president. "There's never been a better time to be a leader of this business. " ID shows are traditionally closed- ended — the mysteries are solved at the end — so "The Vanishing Women" will be something new. "We don't know where the story ends," he said. The six women died or went missing in the city of about 22,000 people an hour south of Columbus, where heroin use has been a problem. Some residents have worried about a serial killer, although police suggest the women's troubled histories played a role in their fates. The two missing women — Charlotte Trego and Wanda Lemons — haven't been seen by loved ones since 2014. Schleiff said he hoped the attention created by the series helps to solve their cases. ID has teamed with the families and law enforcement to bring the individual stories to life. In a similar vein, Schleiff said ID's series about missing persons, "Disappeared," will be back for a new season on April 11. The series has been on hiatus for two years.

2016-03-31 11:16 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

71 Madonsela the Biblical David that slayed the Nkandla giant Mogoeng Johannesburg - The Constitutional Court has found that President Jacob Zuma acted inconsistently with the Constitution when he failed to comply with the Public Protector's remedial action on the upgrades to his Nkandla homestead. "The failure by the president to comply with the remedial action taken against him by the Public Protector in her report... is inconsistent with Section 83b of the Constitution, read with sections 181.3 and 182.1c, and is invalid," Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said. He said earlier, in the unanimous judgment: "The president failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution. " Mogoeng also dealt with the powers of the Public Protector with regards to her remedial actions, saying specifically that her remedial actions against Zuma are binding. "The remedial action taken against those under investigation cannot be ignored without any legal consequences," he said. "She [Madonsela] is the embodiment of a Biblical David... who fights the most powerful, and very well resourced Goliath that impropriety and corruption by government officials are. " He described the Public Protector as a "constitutional gift" to South Africa. The judgment relates to the non-security upgrades – paid for by the taxpayer – at Zuma's private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. The EFF and DA took Zuma and National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to court after they failed to adhere to the remedial action Public Protector Thuli Madonsela set out following her investigation. They wanted the court to clarify the powers of the public protector, and order Zuma to repay some of the R246 million spent on non-security items such as the swimming pool, initially called a "fire pool", a chicken run, cattle kraal, amphitheatre, and visitors' centre. Before the matter was heard by the Constitutional Court in February, Zuma proposed that it appoint the auditor general and minister of finance to determine how much he should pay for certain upgrades to his homestead.

2016-03-31 11:15 www.news24.com

72 Dubai woman delivers baby in Israel, names him after IDF officer who helped her An Arab woman who delivered her baby at the Israeli-Jordanian border crossing on Tuesday named the infant after the IDF officer who helped her give birth. The woman, heading from Dubai to the West Bank, arrived at Allenby border crossing when suddenly she started feeling contractions. An Israeli IDF officer who was present at the scene gave her initial medical treatment at the border crossing, after which he accompanied her to a hospital in Jericho. The woman was so thankful to the Israeli, a Druse officer who serves in the Israeli Civil Administration, that she named her baby after him – Hadi. While Druse news sites in Israel were fascinated with the story, Palestinian news sites raised doubts about the story that was first published on Tuesday on the Facebook page of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the territories. They claimed that the fact that the woman's face in the pictures released is blurred, and that neither her identity nor the details regarding her arrival at the border crossing were published, raised many questions.

2016-03-31 11:10 MAAYAN GROISMAN www.jpost.com

73 South Africa's top court rules against president in scandal JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Jacob Zuma "failed to uphold" the constitution when he didn't pay back some of the millions of dollars in state funds used to upgrade his home, South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday. The ruling could significantly weaken the leader, who is fending off multiple accusations of alleged misconduct at the highest levels of government, though he still retained the support of powerful factions in his party, the African National Congress. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said it would immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Zuma. While parliament has the power to remove him, ruling party lawmakers defeated a no-confidence vote against Zuma earlier this year. Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng also said that parliament, which is dominated by the ANC, had failed in its obligations by not holding Zuma to account in the spending scandal. Speaking for South Africa's highest court, Mogoeng said Zuma should not have ignored a state watchdog's recommendations that he should reimburse state funds spent on his rural home, known as Nkandla. The national treasury must calculate costs of upgrades unrelated to security at Zuma's home within 60 days, and the president must repay that amount within 45 days thereafter, the court said. The police minister had previously compiled a report arguing that features like a large swimming pool and a chicken run contributed to the security of Zuma's compound, findings that were scoffed at by many South Africans. Zuma "failed to uphold, defend, and respect the constitution as the supreme law of the land," Mogoeng said. In a statement, the ANC said it respects the unanimous judgment by the Constitutional Court and that it has "full confidence in the judiciary" and the rule of law in South Africa. In a separate statement, the South African government said Zuma also respects the ruling and "will in consultation with other impacted institutions of state determine the appropriate action. " Zuma is already under scrutiny because of allegedly improper links to the Guptas, a wealthy business family in South Africa. Questions about the extent of the Gupta's influence have exposed some divisions within the ruling party, particularly after the country's deputy finance minister said the Gupta family directly offered him the finance minister job in December, around the time that the incumbent, Nhlanhla Nene, was sacked in a move that rattled markets. Much of the Nkandla case hinged on whether the findings of the state watchdog, the Public Protector's office, were legally binding. The court said the watchdog's office, established in line with South Africa's post-apartheid constitution, was designed to be a champion of good governance. "The Public Protector is thus one of the most invaluable constitutional gifts to our nation in the fight against corruption," Mogoeng said, comparing the office to David fighting on behalf of the citizenry against the "most powerful and very well resourced Goliath — the impropriety and corruption by government officials. " Zuma's office had said he was willing to reimburse some of the more than $20 million spent on Nkandla. His critics said the offer was an attempt to avoid a court hearing, and opposition lawmakers took the case to court anyway. The Constitutional Court also ruled that the president must reprimand ministers involved in the matter. In 2014, a parliamentary committee, boycotted by opposition party lawmakers, had cleared the president. "Public office bearers ignore their constitutional obligations at their peril," Mogoeng said.

2016-03-31 11:06 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

74 Flight attendant also posed for cheeky picture with 'suicide bomber' A second 'selfie' has been posted on Facebook of an air stewardess posing with the hijacker of an EgyptAir plane. In the image, the member of the cabin crew, Naira Atef, is seen smiling and standing next to to the hijacker during the five-hour stand-off on Tuesday aboard the EgyptAir A320 jet. T he man, 58-year-old Egyptian Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa, displays what appears to be a suicide bomb belt, which was later shown to be a fake. A British man who caused online debate on Wednesday after having his picture taken with the hijacker, saying that he did it to take a "closer look" at his supposed suicide belt. Ben Innes, 26, posed for a photo grinning next to the hijacker and sent the picture to his friends. Innes, from Leeds in northern England, told the Sun: "I'm not sure why I did it – I just threw caution to the wind while trying to stay cheerful in the face of adversity. "I figured if his bomb was real I'd have nothing to lose anyway, so took a chance to get closer and look at it," added the health and safety auditor based in Aberdeen, Scotland. "So I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever," he said. His mother later told the Telegraph that the picture was "not a selfie". "You can clearly see that it is not Ben who is taking the picture," she said. The plane was forced to land in Larnaca, Cyprus, amid fears of a terrorist incident. Cypriot authorities later accused him of diverting the Alexandria-to-Cairo flight. He made several demands, including seeing his Cypriot ex-wife, with whom he has children. His suicide belt turned out to be fake. The snap sparked an online debate between those who admired Innes' humour and others who thought that the incident was not a laughing matter. "I don't know if Ben Innes has Twitter but Sir, I salute your indefatigableness," tweeted user Henry Brubaker. However, Jonathan T Gilliam wrote: "Ben Innes would be a hero if he had taken pic & sent to cops during hijacking. But he's an idiot bragging to friends. " A university friend told the Telegraph that the incident was "not a surprise at all. " "Ben is a wild man and this is totally in character for him. He was a big rugby guy and very into his banter and didn't have much respect for authority," the friend said. Innes was among the last of the 55 passengers to be released by Mostafa, who was remanded into custody on Wednesday.

2016-03-31 11:03 Telegraph Reporters telegraph.feedsportal.com

75 Mortified teen's priceless reaction as parents arrive at school dance When you're 15, the last thing you want it your parents to turn up to your high school dance. But a fun-loving mom and dad from Utah thought they'd do just that. Judd Bagley and his wife, Kristen from Salt Lake City surprised their 9th grade daughter at a dance after she'd specifically asked them not to chaperone her. 'We respected her wishes but did decide to drop in and see what she was up to,' Judd wrote online. Unsurprisingly the 14 year old took the intrusion badly. Holding up the camera, Judd approaches Beth who is boogieing with her friends on the dancefloor. The minute she spots her deeply embarrassing parents she throws up her hands and screams in horror. 'Get out! No! No!' the teenager screams as her mom kills herself laughing. Vividly upset she grabs the camera from Judd as the clip comes to an end. The footage has now gone viral, with nearly 500,000 YouTube viewers. 'Did your daughter get over it?' one online commentator asks, to which dad of four Judd replies, 'She loves attention. She's having fun.' When someone queries his relationship with his daughter, the dad says, 'We have a great relationship, based on a long running joke of pretending to be embarrassed by each other. 'This reaction is classic Beth and she's having a lot of fun being a temporary internet celebrity at her school.' Judd told Buzzfeed: 'She wasn't mad, she was just really, really playing it up... We knew she would create a bit of scene because that's her sense of humor, but we didn't expect her to do what she did.' The 'priceless reaction' has now been been into a gif - 'What a day it's been' Judd said when he found out.

2016-03-31 11:00 Harriet Mallinson www.dailymail.co.uk

76 PRESS DIGEST- Canada- March 31 March 31 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. THE GLOBE AND MAIL ** The aftershocks of the commodities price collapse, already plucking C$1,800 a year out of Canadians' pockets, could persist for more than two years and permanently impair the economy, according to the Bank of Canada. (http://bit.ly/1PHh6J2) ** As Dollarama Inc prepares to raise its top prices to C$4 from C$3 amid steeper purchasing costs, the retailer has found new meaning in the lowly toothpick. (http://bit.ly/1SAGYL8) NATIONAL POST ** Five oil-producing economies are on the verge of collapse if oil prices do not stabilize soon, according to RBC Capital Markets. (http://bit.ly/1RLZd0h) ** Kinross Gold Corp finally has a workable development plan for its long-troubled Tasiast mine. The Toronto-based miner greenlighted the first phase of a two-step expansion plan at Tasiast on Wednesday. (http://bit.ly/1ZMMv4c) ** Jeff Melanson, CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, has resigned - mired in a messy courtroom battle with his estranged wife, Eleanor McCain, that involves sordid allegations of deception and sexual improprieties. (http://bit.ly/1UV8573) (Compiled by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru)

2016-03-31 10:59 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

77 PWDs to get additional benefits under new law Ikinatuwa ng mga persons with disability o PWD ang pagpirma ni Pangulong Aquino sa batas na nagbibigay sa kanilang ng VAT exemption. Hirit naman ng National Council for Disability Affairs, dapat tiyaking maipapatupad ang batas na ito. Bandila, March 30, 2016, Miyerkules

2016-03-31 13:00 ABS-CBN news.abs-cbn.com

78 Rory McIlroy believes secret to Masters cheer is successfully handling pressure The first major championship of the year is never short of drama, but w ith more ingredients than usual in the pot, there is a palpable sense that the 80th Masters is poised to cook up something special. For starters, US PGA champion Jason Day is guaranteed to arrive at Augusta as the world number one following back-to-back victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Match Play. And the man he replaced at the top of the world rankings, Jordan Spieth, just happens to be the defending champion seeking to become the first player to win consecutive green jackets since Tiger Woods in 2002. Speaking of Woods, the 14-time major winner is set to miss the Masters for just the second time in his career as he recovers from his latest back operation, with no timetable set for his return despite encouraging news in response to rumours about a setback. Then there is the small matter of Rory McIlroy attempting to win the Masters to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods in completing the career grand slam. McIlroy is the only member of the world's top six who has not won a tournament in 2016 and changed his putting technique at the end of February in response to a missed cut in the Honda Classic. That looked like paying instant dividends until a closing 74 saw him lose a three-shot lead in the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship, while an erratic week littered with six double bogeys ended on a high with a 64 at Bay Hill. McIlroy was unable to defend his WGC-Dell Match Play title after losing to Day in the semi-finals, but while frustrated at not going a win under his belt, the 26-year-old knows his performance at Augusta will depend largely on how he deals with the hype surrounding his grand slam quest. "It's always going to be there until I get to put a green jacket on my back. Last year was my first of having to deal with that pressure and I feel I'm better equipped now," McIlroy told Press Association Sport. "I've got a little bit of experience in how to deal with it and approach it. "In 2015 it was a good thing that Tiger was coming back because I felt like it took a little bit of pressure off me. But there are other storylines in golf, so maybe not all the attention will be focused on me going into Augusta. Jordan is obviously defending and there are so many other guys that have a chance going in there. I think it will be a little different this year for sure. " The thing I have to remember is you've beaten all these guys before and if you simplify it, that's what you're trying to do. You're trying to play the best out of the 100 players or whatever it is that week, instead of thinking about what this could mean. That's not the way you should approach the tournament at all. "I felt especially for the first couple of majors last year I maybe put a bit too much pressure on myself, expectations were very high. I just need to not think about the consequences so much. " Whether that is possible if McIlroy gets into contention remains to be seen, but his 12-under-par total 12 months ago has only been bettered four times since 2000 - Spieth's total of 18 under equalled the tournament record set by Woods in 1997. "It really does bode well," McIlroy said. "If I could have tied together the way I played the par threes and fours from 2014 with the way I played the par fives in 2015, it would have been a different story. "I took advantage of the holes I needed to, didn't quite do enough over the other holes, but it was my best ever finish at Augusta, the best I'd ever played so it's getting closer. " Hopefully Jordan or someone else doesn't have quite the year that they had last year. Twelve under is sometimes good enough to win at Augusta so I'm getting closer, I'm figuring out how to play it and if I can just do the same this year and do a few other things slightly better, you never know. " Spieth began the year looking capable of repeating last year's heroics, shooing 30 under par to win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, but also shot 79 in the Northern Trust Open and admitted it might be a good thing to lose his world number one ranking after defeat to Louis Oosthuizen in the last 16 in Austin. But if Spieth is off form, the same cannot be said of the man who dethroned him, a man who has already finished second and third in the Masters. "It's one tournament that I've always wanted to win," said Day, who plans to arrive in Augusta a week before the tournament starts. "The motivation and the want is there. "I can't get comfortable with how I'm playing right now, and I can't get lazy, because I've got to understand that what I'm doing is working. "I've got to keep working on the things that caused me to win over the last two weeks and keep doing that and then stay focused and hopefully put on the green jacket. "

2016-03-31 10:49 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

79 Melissa Joan Hart teases 'Clarissa' and 'Sabrina' reboots LOS ANGELES, March 31 (UPI) -- Melissa Joan Hart is working on a new '90s television revival. The 39-year-old actress confirmed she's in talks to reboot either Clarissa Explains It All or Sabrina the Teenage Witch during an appearance on FABLife this week. "I am going to a meeting after this," Hart revealed. "They're throwing around Clarissa and Sabrina ideas. It depends on who's going to give up rights, who's going to do it, how it's going to be done. It's a lot of politics and we are nowhere near doing anything. " Hart played Clarissa Darling on Clarissa Explains It All for a five-season run on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1994. She went on to portray Sabrina Spellman on Sabrina the Teenage Witch for a seven-season run on ABC/The WB from 1996 to 2003. "You can only go back to the well so many times," the actress previously told E! News. "It's either going to be done really well and people will only know me as this one character for the rest of my life, or it's going to be really embarrassing and I'll never work again. " "I think it's a really tricky, fine line to walk as an actor," she explained. "I had a fantastic time... but I think you just have to be really careful with that stuff. I know the fans say they want it, but then they're really hard on you after. " Clarissa Explains It All follows Clarissa, a teenager attending high school in suburban Ohio. Sabrina the Teenage Witch , meanwhile, focuses on Sabrina, a half-witch who discovers she has powers on her 16th birthday. Hart has since starred as Melissa Burke on ABC Family series Melissa & Joey , which came to a close after four seasons in August. She will next appear in God's Not Dead 2 with Jesse Metcalfe.

2016-03-31 10:45 Annie Martin www.upi.com

80 UK denied compensation to thousands of Holocaust victims, papers reveal Newly released records revealed for the first time Thursday that thousands of traumatized Holocaust survivors have struggled to receive compensation from the United Kingdom, according to The Jewish Chronicle. The report cited documents that show that out of 4,206 applicants, less than a quarter (1,015) received benefits. Established in 1964, the Nazi Persecution Compensation plan was designed to allocate up to 4,000 pounds ($5730) to each individual given to Britain by Germany. But documents show that applicants were denied financial assistance if they could not prove they were held in a concentration camp or similar institution, according to the rules imposed by the British government. Thursday saw the UK Foreign Office release over 900 documents, with four more batches expected to be made public in the coming weeks. One example of a Holocaust survivor's battle with the UK government was highlighted by Theresienstadt prisoner Gertrude Kuhnert, who wrote numerous letters to the Foreign Office demanding more assistance. Kuhnert was provided a total of $1,840 during the 1960's, but explained that as a "Nazi victim" she was "by no means content with the payment. " "After all, in our country I get no compensation for loss of property or life, (compared to) what other countries did pay for their Nazi-victims,” The Jewish Chronicle quoted Kuhnert as saying. “The war criminals are better off than we, Nazi victims, are — besides we would not sell our life story so quickly,” she added. In one internal memo drafted by the Foreign Office, the department justifies the allotment stating: “Mrs Kuhnert was as much the victim of her own nerves as anything — the Nazis do not seem to have actually done anything directly against her.” During a viewing of the records Wednesday, National Archives record specialist Dr George Hay explained that the Foreign Office had little choice but to adhere to the strict guidelines placed upon the department. “The government wanted to help people and didn’t want to be callous or unfair, but people had to meet the criteria,” he explained.“Almost always, those rejected were met with a well-written and thought-out explanation.” Dr Hay said Britain had pushed Germany to give more money, enough to compensate twice as many people, The Jewish Chronicle noted.

2016-03-31 10:39 Jpost Com www.jpost.com

81 Obama meets with Asian leaders about North Korea nuke threat WASHINGTON — While making final preparations for his nuclear security summit, President Obama will spend time Thursday facing challenges in Asia that range from North Korea's nuclear weapons to China's military and territorial ambitions. Obama, who welcomes world leaders to the White House for a working dinner, will hold private meetings earlier in the day with the top officials from Japan, South Korea, and China, sessions devoted mainly to North Korea's nukes. "We continue to face the threat from North Korean provocations," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser for strategic communications. "We have to take necessary measures to protect ourselves and our allies. " The president held a joint meeting in the morning with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea President Park Geun-Hye. Though they are rivals on many issues, Abe and Park are more united over concerns about North Korea, which in recent months has conducted a fourth nuclear bomb test and launched a long-range rocket into space. Dan Kritenbrink, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, said he expects Obama, Abe, and Park to "clearly demonstrate their unity in our commitment and our firm resolve to deter and defend against North Korean aggression. " The leaders are also expected to discuss the battle against the Islamic State and climate change. North Korea also tops the agenda when Obama meets in the afternoon with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Rhodes noted that U. S. officials have long been talking with Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean officials about the threat posed by North Korea, and "we're in discussions about the deployment of additional missile defense" in the area. Obama and Xi also have other topics to discuss as well. They include Chinese military expansion into the South China Sea, which is creating friction with neighboring countries, and allegations that Chinese interests have hacked into U. S. computers. While the topic is not expected to surface in the Obama-Xi talks, China has also become an issue in the American presidential campaign to replace Obama. Republican front-runner Donald Trump says China is using trade rules to take jobs away from the United States. China, Japan, and South Korea are key participants in the fourth bi-annual Nuclear Security Summit, an event Obama first organized in 2010. Thursday's working dinner at the White House precedes Friday plenary sessions devoted to reducing nuclear stockpiles, improving security at nuclear facilities, and producing peaceful nuclear energy. Coming less than two weeks after terrorist attacks in Brussels, this particular summit will put an emphasis on efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism. From al Qaeda to the Islamic State (ISIL), extremist groups have long sought materials they can use to make "dirty bombs" or even nuclear weapons themselves. Echoing a 2009 speech by Obama outlining his nuclear security policy, Rhodes said that "a terrorist attack with an improvised nuclear device would cost an enormous amount in terms of human life, and could also have profound political and economic and environmental effects on global security as well. " Obama is also scheduled to meet in the afternoon with French President Francois Hollande.

2016-03-31 10:32 David Jackson rssfeeds.usatoday.com

82 EU referendum: O'Donnell warns over two-year exit feasibility Britain would be unable to negotiate its exit from the EU within the two years allowed by European Union rules, the former Cabinet Secretary Lord O'Donnell has said. The prospect of demanding extra time from other EU nations to complete a leave deal was a "bit scary", he said. Asked how long a negotiation would take, he cited a Cabinet Office paper which said it could be up to a decade. But Out campaigners say the UK could negotiate its withdrawal at any time. The UK will decide in a referendum on 23 June whether to remain a member of the European Union or to leave. EU vote: All you need to know Under the process set out in the Lisbon Treaty, a nation has two years to complete a deal once it formally declares that it will withdraw from the EU. Extra time is possible only if all the remaining nations agree. "Obviously at the end of two years anything we haven't negotiated has to be extended by unanimity of a vote excluding us so that's a bit scary," Lord O'Donnell - who advised three successive prime ministers as cabinet secretary between 2005 and 2011 - told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I'm in that camp that doesn't think we can do it in two years," he said, adding that negotiating a deal to leave was a "very complex process". Reality Check: Could Brexit be negotiated in two years? A leave vote on 23 June would not immediately part the UK and the European Union. First, they would have to decide what their relationship would be like in the immediate future. Once Britain formally tells the European Council it is leaving, it has two years to negotiate the terms of its withdrawal. Extra time would only be allowed if the remaining 27 states all agreed. Lord O'Donnell fears complex talks would take much longer than that, and if the EU refused an extension to the negotiating period, the UK could face higher trade tariffs. But - the clock would only start once Britain formally notified the European Council. Read more. He said: "We have to negotiate our entry to the single market, we have to negotiate our future relationship with the EU and then we have to negotiate our trade treaties with all other countries. So there's a lot to be done. " He told Today the Article 50 rules on the process were "not written in a neutral way" and warned it would be a "rather biased playing field". It could also be "very difficult" to achieve positive results with Germany and France facing elections in 2017, he said. "The politics works completely the wrong way for us", he added. If the UK failed to get a deal within two years, the country would revert to World Trade Organization rules, which would include significant tariffs, he added. Greenland's decision to withdraw from the European Community, the organisation that preceded the EU, in 1985 offered the only precedent, he said. "Greenland has a slightly smaller population than Croydon and it has one issue, and that's fish," he said. "So with one issue, small population, it took them not two years but three. We have multiple issues. The idea that we can do it all in two years I think is highly unlikely. " While Lord O'Donnell did not declare himself a supporter of the Remain campaign, his argument was very similar to the government's - whose position is to remain in the union. The Vote Leave campaign, a cross-party group campaigning for EU exit, rejects the idea that negotiations would have to take place along the lines set out in the European Treaty. It says the UK could negotiate its withdrawal at any time without triggering the formal process. Lord O'Donnell's comments come as Out campaigners step up their warnings about what they say are the risks to UK security of remaining in the EU. Justice Minister Dominic Raab used a speech in London to argue being in the EU makes it harder for the UK to stop serious criminals and those with suspected terror links entering the country. Speaking to the Today programme, Mr Raab rejected Lord O'Donnell's argument. He said the former civil service boss was not a diplomat or an international lawyer, adding: "I used to negotiate treaties and I can tell you that if we voted to leave we could do so and negotiate an exit agreement. " He said the UK was the fifth biggest economy in the world and a key export market for the EU: "Of course we'd strike a new deal, and relatively soon, with transitional arrangements if necessary. "

2016-03-31 08:10 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

83 Around the clock care for dying 'not good enough' A national review of end-of-life care has found most hospitals are failing to provide face-to-face palliative care specialists around the clock. The review shows only 16 of 142 hospital sites in England offer specialists on site 24/7. NHS experts acknowledge steady improvements in the last two years, but warn there is still work to do. It's the first review since the controversial Liverpool Care Pathway was scrapped . The Liverpool Care Pathway was phased out amid criticisms it had been misused as a tick-box exercise, leaving some patients without food and water. In its place a series of guidelines has suggested moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach, instead focusing on individual care. This report, led by the Royal College of Physicians, shows there have been improvements in all areas. Researchers found, for example, that communication with patients and relatives had improved. But there were still a number of concerns. In 18% of more than 9,000 patient notes researchers examined, there was no written evidence to suggest that do-not-resuscitate decisions had been discussed with relatives or friends. And in around 3,000 notes there was no evidence that the patient's ability to eat and drink had been assessed on the last day of life. But the researchers' main concern was that many patients and doctors did not have full access to on-site palliative care specialists at evenings and weekends. The majority of hospitals did offer a specialist telephone helpline at all times and 53 of 142 hospital sites offered face-to-face palliative care on Monday to Sunday between 9am to 5pm. But for 26 trusts there was no record of face-to-face specialist palliative care involving doctors at any time. Study-lead Dr Sam Ahmedzai said: "We know that most front-line doctors and nurses giving end-of-life care do it to a very good standard. "But the problem happens when things start to go wrong and often they go wrong out-of-hours in the middle of the night and at weekends. "Then doctors and nurses who may be inexperienced need to be able to access specialists in palliative care. " He says without this, patients with complex problems may not get the care they need. Julie Coombes' father found out he had bowel cancer in May 2015. He was in and out of hospital for three months. But Ms Coombes, 33, from Plymouth, says her father didn't feel he had good care there. She says his symptoms and sickness couldn't be controlled, so the family decided to take him out of hospital to die at home. She said: "While he was in hospital the palliative care team came for about five minutes, while he was in his bed with everyone around and just said you are going to die. "Apart from that we did not get any leaflets or any help... It is not something I would want anyone else to experience. " Dr Kevin Stewart of the Royal College of Physicians said he was encouraged by the improvements. But he added: "We are disappointed that there are still major deficiencies in the provision of specialist palliative care at nights and weekends by many trusts; patients and their families deserve the same level of service whatever the day of the week. " Dr Adrian Tookman, clinical director of the charity Marie Curie, which part-funded the review, said: "We can't ignore the fact that the vast majority of dying people and those close to them still have limited or no access to specialist palliative care support when they need it in hospital. This is not right, nor good enough. "Care of the dying has no respect for time, so if we are to deliver a consistent seven-day service by 2020, it is critical that funding is directed towards recruiting and training doctors and nurses to provide specialist care now. " Dr Tookman told BBC Breakfast there was also "an organisational issue", over how managers supported services within hospitals. He acknowledged the difficulties for families of patients but said they had to "speak up and demand the right care". Amanda Cheesley of the Royal College of Nursing told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that end-of-life care raised complex issues and among nurses there was "still a fear of doing the wrong thing". NHS England, which commissioned the review, welcomed the improvements, but said it was clear that more could be done. A spokesperson added: "Although this audit presents a snapshot of end-of-life care within NHS hospitals, there are clear variations in the support and services received - and there are areas where improvements must continue to be made. "

2016-03-31 08:10 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

84 Republicans lied in Wisconsin: Here’s how you know the state’s voter ID law is a complete sham Topics: Scott Walker , sarah smith , Pro Publica , Wisconsin , Voter ID , vote suppression , Voting Rights , Elections News , News , Politics News No rule in politics is absolute, but, generally speaking, you’d be well served to keep this one in mind: If a politician is not willing to spend money on something they say they support, then their support is about as real as Santa Claus. Unless you view politics as nothing more than an entertaining pastime for overeducated squares who weren’t cute enough to make it in Hollywood — i.e., you actually look forward to “ nerd prom ,” God help you — then the point of the whole endeavor is to get big things done. And getting big things done not only requires money but, perhaps more importantly, requires conflict. This is often because someone’s going to have to pony up, I’ll admit. But that’s not always the case; and sometimes the rejection involves turning down money, too. (See: the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion .) All of which is to say something that’s been said about politics countless times already, and will no doubt be said again and again and again: Talk is cheap. And cheap is something that public policy — if it’s good, at least — usually is not. So when you read this report from Pro Publica’s Sarah Smith , what it should tell you, as if you didn’t know already, is that the legislature in Wisconsin couldn’t care less when it comes to improving its elections. Because that is not what its voter ID law is about: Doesn’t look too good for those who argue that, contrary to Democrats’ claims, voter ID laws are not intended to suppress the Democratic vote, does it? Well, it gets worse. Because this isn’t a case of bureaucratic miscommunication; this isn’t about the state government’s left hand not knowing what its right hand is doing. According to Smith’s reporting, the decision to provide a statewide education campaign with all of zero dollars was about as intentional-looking as it gets:

2016-03-31 09:10 Elias Isquith salon.com.feedsportal.com

85 Preventing cankerworms: how to band a tree Rock Hill Police Det. Keith Dugan gives details an a counterfeit money bust following a traffic stop Tuesday morning. Authorities seized $2,000 in fake bills. The Fort Mill High School Marching Band hosted the public for a free concert to thank everyone for their support for the band's Marching to Normandy campaign. The band played the songs it will perform April 1 in Normandy, France, at a cemetery that holds the reamins of U. S. servicemen killed in World War II, including two from Fort Mill. Appalachian Hospitality Management pleads guilty to manslaughter. Raw video of the rest area on I-77 in Chester County. During October's devastating South Carolina floods, three York and Chester county officials made an 'outstanding' effort to help storm victims. They were recognized for their contribution to the state's response by their peers at an emergency managers conference earlier this month. Friendship Nine members Willie McCleod and David Williamson Jr. meet at the Five and Dine in downtown Rock Hill Saturday to remember their friend and fellow civil rights activist Clarence Graham, who died Friday at age 73. The men talked about Graham's legacy and the differences between the 1960s and today. FILE VIDEO. After his conviction was vacated in January 2015, Friendship Nine member Clarence Graham shares details from his encounter with a white woman who was at the Rock Hill lunch counter during his arrest in 1961. National Guard and VA are honoring all Vietnam vets Tuesday March 29, along with a career fair and VA workshop The Georges family in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, routinely travels to Belgium, and was in a Brussels airport when it came under attack March 22 from two bombs. John Marks/Lake Wylie Pilot York County Muslims are united against ISIS and the latest deadly terrorism attack in Brussels.

2016-03-31 06:53 www.heraldonline.com

86 Livonia - News This feed's current articles are shown below. Subscribe for updates to all the content available in this feed, or click through here to see the original article. Businessman hopes to build six 1,200-square-foot condos at East Commerce and Union Canton subdivision streets are getting $3.7 million in repairs Former state Rep. Vicki Barnett is challenging L. Brooks Patterson in Oakland County. Some 400 teens turned out for a “modest” prom. Events and activities from around the Observer communities. More than 400 kids collected eggs at the Plymouth Lions egg hunt. Shocking headlines dominate the news as a murder trial unfolds. Dark secrets are revealed. Pain turns to sorrow. Questions linger. What went wrong that day? What if? Reporters Aileen Wingblad and David Veselenak search for answers in interviews with convicted murderers Nancy Seaman and Lakeshia Valdez. This is the third and final month of the summer with a Supermoon. It's when a full or new moon coincides with the moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit. Basically, the moon appears bigger and brighter than usual in the night sky. Help wanted: Youth Assistance needs adults to train as mentors Four suspects were sentenced to jail and/or probation. Windows of four vehicles shattered at Telegraph Road dealership in Redford. The council will take up the proposed development at the former school on April 4. Newsmakers from around the business community. The Farmington Hills council Monday approved a PUD for the Sarah Fisher property. The Farmington Art Foundation festival features more than 200 paintings. Events and activities around the Farmington community Events and programs at the Farmington Community Library. Events and activities around the Farmington community The Northville Genealogical Society will host speakers in April. Check out all the happenings in the Huron Valley community. Check out some of the upcoming events in the Novi-Northville area Check out what’s happening in the South Lyon and Lyon Township areas. 2016-03-31 05:23 rssfeeds.hometownlife.com

87 Credit card fraud: Senior citizen from Mumbai duped of Rs 7 lakh A 60-year-old businessman from the upscale Malabar Hill area in South Mumbai has been duped by a cyber fraudster to the tune of Rs 7 lakh. Police said the scamster fraudulently obtained the senior citizen’s credit card details, and his online banking details, and later made 54 unauthorised transactions in just 11 minutes. Most of the transactions were done to buy something online and originated in New York City. The Malabar Hill police recently registered an FIR in this regard. Also Read: Mumbai crime: Lounge waiters dupe guests of lakhs via credit cards The complainant, Rakesh Ranawat (name changed), who owns an investment firm, has been using a credit card of Standard Chartered Bank for a decade and has an account in the Bhulabhai Desai Road branch. In his complaint to police, Ranawat stated that on the night of January 20 this year, when he was going to sleep, on checking his cell phone (which was probably on silent mode) he saw dozens of SMS alerts from the bank. “He immediately called the bank’s helpline and got his card blocked so that no further unauthorised transactions took place. On enquiring with the bank executives Ranawat was informed that fraudsters carried out 54 unauthorised online transactions using his credit card’s details between 10.27pm and 10.38pm, and made overseas transactions worth R7 lakh,” said an officer from the Malabar Hill police station. Read Story: How credit card fraudsters are fooling even the educated The officer further added that of the 54 transactions, two were domestic and rest were overseas. The fraudster completely exhausted the credit limit of the card. Ranawat made an application to the bank by filling a dispute form and obtained the preliminary details of the unauthorised transactions on March 18. Information from the bank revealed that a person managed to get the online banking log and the ID, password, transaction ID and credit card details of Ranawat, and using the same carried out unauthorized transactions. “The transaction’s details also revealed that the person, in one of the online purchases, bought a product from a New York shopping outlet and got it delivered to a person, Satnam Pawa, at an Andheri address,” said another officer. Police have registered a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code and 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of Information Technology Act. Police also suspect that the person managed to change some details of Ranawat registered with the bank and hence managed to swiftly carry out the fraud in just 11 minutes. The police are awaiting more detailed information on the fraudulent transactions from the bank and are in the process of checking the Andheri address, where a parcel bought from the money was delivered. Officials are also taking technical assistance from the cyber police.

2016-03-31 10:15 By Vijay www.mid-day.com

88 Airline employee troubles include accusations from pimping to cocaine: (CNN) A flight attendant accused of carrying nearly 69 pounds of cocaine. A pilot charged with moonlighting as a pimp. An allegedly drunk co- pilot stopped before takeoff. A ramp agent charged with trying to move almost $300,000. CNN's Scott Zamost, Drew Griffin, Curt Devine, Elliot C. McLaughlin, David Shortell, Sarah Aarthun, Joshua Berlinger and Lawrence Crook III contributed to this report.

2016-03-31 10:08 Mariano Castillo edition.cnn.com

89 Bullet that proves Lawrence of Arabia’s tales of desert heroics A single bullet has helped prove that T. E Lawrence's WWI memoir was far more accurate than previously believed. Archaeologists from Bristol University spent nine years combing previously untouched battle sites across the Arabian Desert in Jordan. The team found a bullet at the site of a battle which inspired the dramatic train ambush scene in the David Lean Lawrence of Arabia classic, which was fired by a Colt pistol which Lawrence owned. 'We're almost 100 per cent certain he was the only person in that battle who would have been using that gun,' Dr Neil Faulkner, who led the nine-year Great Arab Revolt Project (GARP), told the MailOnline. 'A lot of people have doubted what was written in his Seven Pillars of Wisdom memoir,' he added. 'But what this shows is that he is not a serial liar - he has provided us with a very reliable historical account.' T. E Lawrence's depiction of the 17 September 1917 ambush, as well as Lean's cinematographic portrayal, have formerly been dismissed as aggrandised. In his Seven Pillars memoir, he describes a train pulling into the station with Turkish fighters perched on the roofs of the carriages, guns poised. He gave the signal to the Arabian troops. 'There followed a terrific roar, and the line vanished from sight behind a spouting column of black dust and smoke a hundred feet high and wide', the intelligence officer wrote in the book. 'Out of the darkness came shattering crashes and long, loud metallic clangings of ripped steel, with many lumps of iron and plate; while one entire wheel of a locomotive whirled up suddenly black out of the cloud against the sky, and sailed musically over our heads to fall slowly and heavily into the desert behind,' the intelligence officer wrote. The GARP team's three-day, military-supervised trip, uncovered bullets exactly where Lawrence described the fighters to have been. Although unlike the on-screen depiction of Lawrence wielding a large rifle, the real-life figure favoured the more modern, smaller Colt model 1911. For instance, they found a 'line of empty cartridges where Arab riflemen would have been,' said Dr Faulkner. The Colt 1911-fired bullet was the only one found in the site. 'The rest were .303 fired by Lee Enfield rifles which the Arab soldiers would have had. The others were from Lewis-like machine guns'. The GARP team have combed dozens of important WWII sites in Jordan which have never been touched before. They had two metal detectorists scanning the sand who played a 'key' role in the discoveries. Their 2012 trip to the Halat Ammar site on the border of Jordan and Saudi Arabia was done under military supervision. Dr Faulkner's new book, Lawrence of Arabia's War will be released on 21 April and the archeologist hopes that it will undo some of the negative criticsim Lawrence has been subject to in the past.

2016-03-31 10:05 Jessica Ware www.dailymail.co.uk

90 Eurozone inflation rate remains below zero in March LONDON (AP) — In spite of a modest improvement in inflation that had its roots in the services sector, consumer prices across the 19-country eurozone fell in the year to March for the second month running, official figures showed Thursday. In its estimate for the month, Eurostat, the European Union's statistics agency, said the headline inflation rate was minus 0.1 percent against the previous month's reading of minus 0.2 percent. The modest uptick was in line with market expectations following recent figures showing a solid pick-up in German inflation. Eurostat said the services sector is likely to have had the biggest impact in nudging up the headline rate, while energy prices once again provided the biggest drag. One development that may cheer policymakers at the European Central Bank was the news that the core rate, which strips out the volatile items of food, alcohol, energy and tobacco, rose to 1 percent from 0.8 percent. Still, both rates remain well below what the ECB wants — inflation at just below 2 percent. The ECB has enacted a series of stimulus measures, such as cutting interest rates and buying government bonds in the markets, in order to get inflation back to target. Since the last stimulus package was announced this month, few analysts think the central bank will do anything further soon. But in the longer-term, many economists think the ECB may have to do more. The ECB is worried that low or negative inflation will prompt even more economic stagnation in the eurozone. A consistent drop in prices, known as deflation, can choke the life out of an economy mainly by enticing consumers to delay big purchases beyond everyday needs such as food and energy in the knowledge that they will cost less down the line. And faced with lower prices, businesses also make less profit and start looking to reduce costs. That means job losses, wage cuts and a growing reluctance to invest and innovate. The economy is weighed down further, prompting businesses to cut costs further, exacerbating the deflationary spiral.

2016-03-31 10:03 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

91 Charlotte Crosby forgets her love woes with Gaz Beadle She said she cried for a whole day after it was claimed her love interest Gaz Beadle invited a beauty queen back to his hotel room. And Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, 25, headed out on Wednesday night with her former co-star Sophie Kasaei, in a bid to forget her love woes. The brunette beauty flashed the flesh in a white off-the-shoulder mini dress as she headed to Sheesh restaurant in Essex in a bid to let her hair down. Scroll down for video Showing off her golden skin, she carried her latest book, Live Fast Lose Weight in her hand, which documents her weight loss journey, slinging a Louis Vuitton tote over her arm. She added some extra inches to her height with a pair of statement heels, as she headed into the eatery with Sophie, who was rocking a black jumpsuit. Also present was pregnant former TOWIE star Maria Fowler and her boyfriend Kelvin Bately. Maria looked incredible in a black form-fitting midi dress and a leather jacket. Maria surprised fans with her baby announcement earlier in the month, aptly choosing to share the news on Mother's Day. She wrote: 'As its Mother's Day, @KelvinBatey555 and I are pleased to announce a new addition is on its way later this year,' She attached a picture of her and her boyfriend's Converse trainers, with a third baby-sized pair and their pet dog, David. TOWIE lads Pete Wicks and Mario Falcone were dressed to impress on the night and the show's former star Pascal Craymer flashed her underwear in a white semi-sheer mini dress. It's little wonder that Charlotte has been needing some light relief. She revealed her devastation after Gaz was pictured cosying up to the beauty queen and placing his hand on her derriere. He later issued a vehement denial on Snapchat that he had tried it on with law student Vicky Marriott, his girlfriend has taken to Twitter to blast his behaviour. Although she appears to accept his protestations of innocence in regards to Vicky, Charlotte posted an epic rant on Twitter on Thursday morning accusing Gaz of being uncaring and disrespectful. The reality star, 25, said she was upset that Gaz, 28, didn't contact her privately to explain the situation in Nottingham on Sunday night that resulted in her questioning if he cheated on her. Charlotte and Gaz had appeared to be back together in recent weeks in the latest twist in their turbulent on/off romance. However, it looks like they may be off again given Charlotte's lengthy tirade on the micro- blogging site. She wrote: 'I never wanted to talk about this. But would like to thank Gary for splashing it all over his Snapchat! 'Maybe he could of picked up the phone and explain it to me while I sat and cried the whole day I found out....or maybe even a text would of been nice. Considering he's meant to "care" so much about me. But no. Yeh thanks for that. Really respectful way of treating some1.' Charlotte then admitted she was upset to find out Gaz had signed up for the next series of MTV dating show Ex On The Beach and also claimed he had blocked her on Twitter. She continued: 'Maybe my head wouldn't be so f**ked up about the whole situation if he hadn't decided that he wants to go onto @mtvex next week which is a DATING show....how can I even begin to understand what or where me and Gary are under them terms!!! And then after all of this on top of that hasn't really helped matters. This isn't the behaviour of some1 who wants to make it work with some1. 'I actually believed he cared and had changed, but blocking me on Twitter and ignoring me for 3 days and having to cry to his best friend @AaronCGShore doesn't show me he cares at all. I hope maybe now people an understand a little bit more.' Charlotte's rant came after Gaz posted a series of videos on his Snapchat account on Wednesday explaining the back story behind him inviting Nottingham Trent University student Vicky back to his hotel room. Gaz said he had invited '8 or 10 people' back to his suite at the hotel following a night out to continue the party, including Vicky who had asked for a photo, which she posted on her Instagram account. Vicky tagged his account in the Instagram snap, where Gaz's hand is clearly visible on her derriere - much to Charlotte's chagrin. In the comments section of the post, Charlotte reportedly set out to find the truth as she probed the stunning brunette about her interaction with her on/off beau. She wrote: 'Hiya Vicky! Just wondering did he actually ask you back? Not angry at all would just like to no the truth if so.' Responding on Snapchat to the events, he said: 'The one person who ended up posting a photo didn't even end up at the room. So can everyone please get off my f**king back.... 'With the £50 you got for selling that story go and buy yourself something nice. 'I'm f**king angry when people get involved in my f**king s**t.' Speaking to student newspaper The Tab, Vicky, who has a boyfriend, aimed to defend herself, saying: 'My relationship hasn't been affected by any of this actually. And many girls have photos with Gaz and he's tagged in them, don't see them getting attention like this so how was I to know this picture would get this out of hand?' Charlotte and Gaz recently had their relationship confirmed by former co-star Jay Gardner amid rumours they were an item. Since the photo was posted, the couple have indicated they are having troubles in cryptic social media posts, with Charlotte posting an image on twitter with the quote: 'My life has become this one big "I don't know"'. While Gaz recently tweeted the words: "F*** this... " after which Vicky insisted she was unaware the couple were an item before posting the picture. Gaz and Charlotte's relationship first kicked off in the show's 2011 inauguration, catching one another's eyes from the very first episode of the MTV show. While he enjoyed a long-term relationship with stunner Lillie Lexie Gregg while Charlotte has slipped in and out of of romances while enjoying a one year relationship with Mitch Jenkins. She briefly dated Love Island winner Max Morley last year, but they split after she shared a drunken kiss with Gaz, which was posted online. Earlier this month, Charlotte said she didn't think she had a serious future with Gaz, despite her inability to stay away from him. She told Now magazine: 'We've never been in a relationship, we're best friends at the end of the day, and sometimes we kiss and have sex.' She added that her past with Gaz makes it difficult to see a future with the lothario: 'There's something holding me back... I don't trust him! I don't think I'll ever be able to trust him. I don't think it's a bad thing to say because of everything he's put me through.' It appears that while they were filming the 13th series of Geordie Shore - a special anniversary series to celebrate five years of the show - the pair were finally honest with one another. Charlotte explained: 'We had a really nice discussion recently and he told me why he thought he couldn't get close to me and I told him how I felt like he didn't like me and it was really weird. 'For the first time in a long time we were both really honest with each other and we let our guard down and it’s crazy what happened afterwards. 'For five years we’ve been on and off but we’ve never really been in a relationship. I’ve never even slept over at his house. People think that we’ve split up but we’ve never split up because we’ve never been together.'

2016-03-31 10:03 Rebecca Davison www.dailymail.co.uk

92 Kremlin denies report of Russia-U. S. deal on Assad's future MOSCOW, March 31 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that a report by the al-Hayat newspaper on an agreement between Russia and the United States on the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not true. The newspaper reported that U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry had told several Arab countries that Russia and the U. S. reached an understanding on the future of Syria's peace process, including Assad's departure to another country at some unspecified stage. "Al-Hayat published information which does not correspond to reality," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. "Russia is advantageously different from other nations because it does not discuss the issue of the self-determination of third countries either through diplomatic or other channels. " (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Christian Lowe)

2016-03-31 10:02 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

93 Film director says he supports moves toward gender parity LOS ANGELES (AP) — The director of "Bridesmaids," ''Spy" and the upcoming "Ghostbusters" remake says he would add an equity clause to his future film contracts that requires gender-balanced casting of minor roles. Paul Feig said he supports such efforts to push the movie business toward gender parity. "I think we need to set these things in stone so it forces everybody to think that way," he told The Associated Press. Feig was part of a panel discussion Wednesday night at the actors' union Los Angeles headquarters about Hollywood's gender bias. The talk with actress Maria Bello, directors Caroline Suh and Tina Mabry, and University of Southern California professor Stacy L. Smith followed a screening of the short documentary "The 4%: Film's Gender Problem. " The film's title refers to the number of top movies directed by women over the past dozen years. Smith, whose studies on gender and Hollywood informed the documentary, suggested A-list stars consider an equity clause in their contracts so that some movies might reflect real-world demography. Her research found that women represented 30 percent of speaking roles in the films of 2014. Bello said she is part of an effort to develop a "gender parity stamp" to recognize productions that are actively increasing opportunities for women on both sides of the camera. Research shows women are half of film- school students and movie ticket buyers — not to mention the human population — yet play the lead in just one in five films and are outnumbered by male directors 23 to one. The documentary, directed by Suh and available on-demand on EPIX, includes interviews with such filmmakers as Catherine Hardwicke, Lake Bell, Anjelica Huston and Julie Delpy, who says: "The next Kubrick, in no one's mind, is a woman. " ___ Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen at www.twitter.com/APSandy .

2016-03-31 10:02 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

94 Where's the lane? Self-driving cars confused by shabby U. S. roadways By Alexandria Sage LOS ANGELES, March 31 (Reuters) - Volvo's North American CEO, Lex Kerssemakers, lost his cool as the automaker's semi-autonomous prototype sporadically refused to drive itself during a press event at the Los Angeles Auto Show. "It can't find the lane markings! " Kerssemakers griped to Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was at the wheel. "You need to paint the bloody roads here! " Shoddy infrastructure has become a roadblock to the development of self-driving cars, vexing engineers and adding time and cost. Poor markings and uneven signage on the 3 million miles of paved roads in the United States are forcing automakers to develop more sophisticated sensors and maps to compensate, industry executives say. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently called the mundane issue of faded lane markings "crazy," complaining they confused his semi-autonomous cars. An estimated 65 percent of U. S. roads are in poor condition, according to the U. S. Department of Transportation, with the transportation infrastructure system rated 12th in the World Economic Forum's 2014-2015 global competitiveness report. Tesla, Volvo, Mercedes, Audi and others are fielding vehicles that can drive on highways, change lanes and park without human help. But they are easily flummoxed by faded lane markers, damaged or noncompliant signs or lights, and the many quirks of a roadway infrastructure managed by thousands of state and local bureaucracies. In other developed countries, greater standardization of road signs and markings makes it easier for robot cars to navigate. In the U. S., however, traffic lights can be aligned vertically, horizontally or "dog-house" style in two columns. Pavement markings use paint with different degrees of reflectivity - or don't exist at all. "If the lane fades, all hell breaks loose," said Christoph Mertz, a research scientist at Carnegie Mellon University. "But cars have to handle these weird circumstances and have three different ways of doing things in case one fails. " MORE SENSORS, MORE COST To make up for roadway aberrations, carmakers and their suppliers are incorporating multiple sensors, maps and data into their cars, all of which adds cost. Mercedes says the "drive pilot" system found in its recently unveiled luxury E Class 2017 sedans works even with no lane markings. The system - which incorporates 23 sensors - takes into account guard rails, barriers, and other cars to keep cars in their lanes up to 84 miles (135km) per hour, under "suitable circumstances. " Boston Consulting Group estimates that initial semi-autonomous features add $4,000 to a car's price. It estimated carmakers will have to spend more than $1 billion over the next decade in research investment for even more sophisticated autonomous features. On a good road in daylight, cameras installed around a car are sufficient to distinguish road lines, traffic lights and signs. But without lane markings, the car needs more technology to judge its position. Enter radar and lidar, which send out radio waves or light pulses to bounce off objects. The data sent back informs the car about objects, their distance and velocity. Triangulating between trees to the right, boulders to the left, and other vehicles ahead, for instance, can give the car its bearings. A host of companies - including Silicon Valley firms Quanergy and Velodyne and international suppliers like Paris-based Valeo - are vying to reduce the cost and size of lidar from the bulky, $75,000 Velodyne version first seen on the roof of Google's self-driving car. In January, Quanergy unveiled a small $250 Lidar with no moving parts. Automakers want the price to drop below $100 for production vehicles, which Quanergy promises to do by 2018. Sub-par roads are fueling efforts by companies such as Germany's HERE and Dutch company TomTom to create three dimensional maps that can provide the car's location on the road within centimeters, said Chris Warrington, CEO of mapping technology company GeoDigital. Automakers are looking to pay $50-$60 per car for such maps, which may be well below the actual price, said Warrington. "We know they're coming, but they don't exist yet. That's why lane markings are so important now," said Gary O'Brien, director of advanced engineering for automotive supplier Delphi Automotive Systems PLC. O'Brien snaps photos of bad roads when he travels. "Look at this, there are no lane markings at all! " O'Brien said, showing a picture he took on a desert road in Bluff, Utah where the demarcation between the road and ground is barely visible. "MAKE UP YOUR MIND! " Some officials envision traffic signals that communicate with cars at dangerous intersections and vehicles that can signal each other their positions, direction and speed. The U. S. Department of Transportation's "Smart City Challenge," a competitive grant program, will offer up to $40 million this summer to help one city integrate new technologies, which could include infrastructure for self-driving cars. The Transportation Research Board, an independent group that advises the government, plans to issue recommendations for standardized lane markings for machine vision by 2017. By then, several automakers say they plan to offer models with some form of autonomous highway driving. Paul Carlson, a research engineer focused on infrastructure at Texas A&M University, said he gets calls from transportation officials asking how to accommodate robot cars. He tells them to aim for consistency: "Make up your mind, people! Do you want your traffic lights vertical or horizontal? " (Reporting By Alexandria Sage)

2016-03-31 10:01 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

95 France will not strip terrorists of nationality Paris: French President Francois Hollande said yesterday he was scrapping his plan for constitutional reforms in the wake of the November 13 attacks on Paris, including a measure to strip convicted terrorists of their nationality. French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech at the end of the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris. Pic/AFP Hollande announced in a televised statement he was "closing the constitutional debate" on the reforms after the lower house, the National Assembly, and opposition-dominated Senate failed to agree on the text. llande proposed the reforms after Islamic State group suicide bombers and gunmen killed 130 people across Paris. France was shocked not only because it was the second major terrorist attack on Paris in a year—in January, gunmen targeted Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical publication, and a Jewish supermarket, killing 20 people—but also because many of those who carried out the attacks were French citizens. ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks. "A compromise appears out of reach on the stripping of terrorists’ nationality," Hollande said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to the victims of the Brussels terror attacks in which over 30 people, including an Indian, lost their lives due to "mindless violence". Pic/PTI "I also note that a section of the opposition is hostile to any constitutional revision. I deeply regret this attitude. Hollande pledged that despite dropping the reform plans, he would not "deviate from the commitments I have taken... to ensure the security of our country. "

2016-03-31 09:59 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

96 JNU cites RTI clauses, refuses to make inquiry report public New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University has refused to make public the report of the preliminary inquiry conducted by three professors in the controversial events of February 9, which lead to the arrest of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and two other students. The University cited exemption clauses of Section 8(1)(g) and 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act saying that “the matter of incidents that took place on February 9, 2016 and subsequent developments relating thereto are under investigation at the University level.” While section 8(1)(h) exempts information disclosure which can impede an ongoing inquiry, 8(1) (g) is against disclosure which could endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes. he University while refusing the information to activist Paras Nath Singh did not give reasons as to how disclosure would impede the investigation, which is mandatory after an order of the Delhi High Court by Justice Ravindra Bhat.

2016-03-31 09:58 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

97 Sale Sharks to sign MacGinty from Connacht as replacement for Cipriani Sale Sharks have announced the signing of United States international fly-half AJ MacGinty. MacGinty, 26, will move to the Aviva Premiership from Guinness PRO12 title contenders Connacht. He is set to take over the Sale No 10 shirt that will be vacated this summer by Danny Cipriani's return to his former club Wasps. Dublin-born MacGinty attended Blackrock College before moving to the US on a visa. He started all three of their 2015 World Cup pool games and has so far scored 90 points in just eight Tests after making his international debut against Samoa last summer. Since returning from the World Cup, MacGinty has helped Connacht maintain their current position as PRO12 league leaders. 'We were alerted to AJ during the World Cup, and we have been watching his performances at Connacht,' Sale rugby director Steve Diamond told the club's official website. 'He is great in defence and has an 80 per cent success-rate kicking his points. 'I am sure that when he works with Paul Deacon (Sale's attack and skills coach) he will become the finished article. 'He will be a great addition to the squad, and we are looking forward to AJ joining us pre-season.' MacGinty said: 'I am very excited to be joining Sale Sharks next season. They are a club with great ambitions, and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. 'I have really enjoyed my time at Connacht and would like to thank all the coaches, players, fans and staff for their support. In particular, I would like to express my gratitude to Pat Lam (Connacht head coach), and I look forward to finishing the season as strong as possible.'

2016-03-31 09:52 Andrew Baldock www.dailymail.co.uk

98 Nuclear Summit Meeting to Begin in Washington With Terrorism Risks a Central Topic Fifty heads of state will convene in Washington beginning on Thursday to try to enhance worldwide security of nuclear materials, a meeting with new urgency given suspicions of terrorist groups’ interest in a nuclear plant in Belgium. President Obama is hosting the two-day session and has plans to hold a separate meeting on Thursday with the leaders of Japan and South Korea, followed by an individual meeting with President Xi Jinping of China. All of the leaders attending will gather for a working dinner at the White House before events on Friday. Administration officials said the need to protect nuclear materials from falling into the possession of the Islamic State and similar groups had already been part of the agenda for the meeting, the Nuclear Security Summit. But evidence that those involved in the Paris and Brussels attacks had engaged in surveillance of a Belgian power plant and the murder of a nuclear plant worker and the theft of his identity card has elevated the topic. “It turns out that it is obviously very timely,” Laura Holgate, a specialist in weapons of mass destruction with the National Security Council, told reporters on Wednesday. She noted that the United States had been working with Belgium in recent years to reduce the amount of enriched uranium held at the nuclear plant in question. “We stand ready to help the Belgians in any way should they require or wish to cooperate more deeply with us on these issues,” she said. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is boycotting the session and the Iranian leadership was not invited.

2016-03-31 09:50 By rss.nytimes.com

99 99 Mumbai tops in assaulting policemen on duty: CM Devendra Fadnavis Mumbai: A total of 62 cases had been filed in Mumbai till February against people for manhandling or assaulting policemen on duty - the highest for a city in Maharashtra, the Legislative Council was informed on Wednesday. CM Devendra Fadnavis. Pic/ Satej Shinde Alarmingly, out of these, charge sheets in only seven cases have been filed. In all, the state registered 179 such cases, of which only 19 have reached the charge sheet stage. These details came to light in a written reply given in the Upper House by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to a starred question by Vikram Kale of NCP. Kale had sought details of district-wise cases of manhandling of police personnel by the public and action taken against the offenders. In his written reply, the Chief Minister, who also handles the Home portfolio, said 57 cases were registered against people in Mumbai City district, of which charge sheets filed in just seven. Five such cases were filed in Mumbai Suburban district but none has reached the charge sheet level. Apparently explaining the delay in taking such cases to logical conclusion, Fadnavis said charge sheets in offences related to assault on government officials, including policemen, are filed after collecting credible evidence and completing due investigation. The government tries to ensure that the accused get maximum punishment under the law, he said. Besides Mumbai, most number of such cases were reported from Thane (17), Aurangabad (13) and Pune (12) districts. While no charge sheets were registered in Thane and Pune, only two cases reached the court in Aurangabad. On February 19, a mob at Pangaon village in Latur district attacked Assistant Sub-Inspector Yunus Shaikh for trying to stop them for hoisting a flag at a controversial spot. In another incident, Shiv Sena leader Shashikant Ganpat Kalgude was arrested on charges of assaulting a woman traffic constable in Thane on February 27 when asked to show his driving licence.

2016-03-31 09:48 By PTI www.mid-day.com

100 RBI, Passport are cleanest govt offices in Mumbai: Survey Mumbai: Reserve Bank Of India's office in Mumbai Central and Passport office in suburban Malad have been declared as the "cleanest and most hygienic" government offices in the city, a civic official said here today. The Post Office and MTNL's offices in Andheri have been found to be at the bottom of the cleanliness index, the official added. Following the guidelines from the Union Urban Development Ministry, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had launched a fortnight-long special thematic drive to reinforce and consolidate the strides made under the Swachh Bharat Mission in maintaining cleanliness in government offices and buildings in the city. Announcing the result of the survey, BMC Additional Commissioner, Pallavi Darade said, "We are very happy to inform that Reserve Bank Of India's office situated at Anand Rao Nair Service Road in Mumbai Central (E) and Passport Office at Malad (E) have been found to be the most clean and hygienic government offices. " Describing the methodology of the survey, Darade said BMC randomly selected five government offices in each of BMC's 24 wards and subsequently sent a team along with the members of Quality Council of India. They conducted the 'Swachh Survekshan' survey, wherein sanitation and hygiene of urban regions in India will now be reviewed and cities would be ranked on that basis. "The parameters of declaring hygienically good offices were defined by the Union Ministry," she said. Earlier, the civic administration had urged heads of government establishments to take necessary measures to spruce up their premises in the backdrop of the ongoing cleanliness drive across the country. Highlighting the parameters set by the Union Urban Development Ministry, she said, "During our survey, we monitored the functioning positions of urinals and toilets, dustbins, availability of the hand wash basins, stain-free corridors, raw articles scattered on the premises and ranked the establishments. " The official also that it was important that the head office of the civic body was also found in the top list of most clean and hygienic establishments. Replying to a query, she said that we are now going to launch the same thematic drive into the civic hospitals where, there is a lot of scope to improve the hygiene condition.

2016-03-31 09:44 By PTI www.mid-day.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-03-31 18:03